Arsenal star would be willing to play alongside Eric Dier in North vs South game

Arsenal centre-back William Saliba has revealed he would be willing to play alongside Eric Dier in a North vs South game.

The idea for an all-star game, featuring a team comprised of players from northern clubs, going up against a team taken from the southern clubs, was proposed by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly last week (Guardian).

The American businessman said that it could be the Premier League version of an all-star game, which takes place annually in the NBA, and suggested that the proceeds from the game could be distributed to clubs lower down the English footballing pyramid.

The idea has been scoffed at by some, including Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who questioned when such a fixture would be played, given the busy footballing schedule (Sky Sports).

However, others like Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard have expressed support for the idea put forward by Boehly, with the former Reds star admitting that he would have loved to have played in a North vs South clash. (Daily Mail).

Saliba has now said that he would be willing to take part in an all-star game, even if it meant playing alongside players from rival clubs.

When asked if he would play with the likes of Dier, the Frenchman told Sky Sports News (18/9, 11:07 am): “Why not?” before giggling at the idea.

Spurs Web Opinion

The all-star game would never work in the Premier League, given the tribalism involved. The sporting culture in football is not comparable to American sports and clubs would also not want their players to take part in such an event.

However, having said that, I found some of the negative reactions to Boehly’s comments to be quite over the top. I found it quite ridiculous that most people’s complaint was just about the Chelsea owner’s nationality.

There is nothing wrong with him offering an idea to financially help the EFL clubs, which really is the need of the hour.

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