Representatives of William Saliba have seemingly responded to rumors linking the Arsenal center-back with a move to Real Madrid.
Saliba, 23, is widely regarded as one of Europe’s best defenders and has built a strong partnership with Gabriel Magalhães at the heart of Arsenal’s defense over recent seasons. ..Continue Reading
The French international started in Arsenal’s 3-1 victory against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Wednesday evening, reducing the Premier League gap with Liverpool to six points, although the leaders have played one game less.
As is often the case with promising young defenders, his impressive performances have caught the attention of La Liga champions Real Madrid.
Saliba, who has made 109 appearances for Arsenal since joining from Saint-Étienne in 2019, is also being eyed by Paris Saint-Germain. According to Metro, the Gunners have already turned down an offer from the Ligue 1 side.
Spanish outlet Sport reports that Real Madrid have identified Saliba as their defensive priority but feel they might need to break records to lure him away from the Premier League.
The current world record transfer fee for a defender is £80m, set when Manchester United signed Harry Maguire from Leicester City in August 2019, surpassing the £75m Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in January 2018.
Reports suggest that Madrid has received a positive response from Saliba’s camp regarding a possible move to the Spanish giants. Saliba’s Arsenal contract runs until June 2027, and Metro reports that Madrid could offer around £83m.
It’s unclear whether Arsenal would entertain such an offer, but losing such a key player mid-season would be a significant blow to their Premier League title hopes, especially after finishing second in the last two seasons.
From Madrid’s perspective, a deal makes sense. Centre-backs David Alaba and Eder Militao have been sidelined with ACL injuries in recent months, forcing Carlo Ancelotti to rely on youngster Raul Asencio and usual midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni alongside Antonio Rudiger.
