According to recent reports, Real Madrid have made Arsenal star William Saliba their main target for next summer.
With both Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba entering the penultimate year of their contracts and Alaba sidelined by a cruciate ligament injury, the club is actively looking for potential options to strengthen their backline.
Additionally, young academy centre-back Joan Martinez is also out for an extended period with a similar injury, further emphasising the need for defensive reinforcements.
Among the defenders being scouted, Saliba has emerged as a top candidate for Real Madrid, with reports claiming that the La Liga giants have already made contact with his entourage.
Despite the growing speculation surrounding a possible move, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has clarified that there has been no direct contact between Real Madrid and Saliba’s representatives.
Romano stated in his CaughtOffside Daily Briefing column that Saliba remains fully committed to Arsenal, and the North London club views the Frenchman as a cornerstone of their future.
The Italian journalist penned:
“A story that keeps coming up at the moment is William Saliba and a possible move away from Arsenal – in recent weeks we’ve heard a few times about Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, but I can honestly say I have no confirmation of any of this, including on the claim that Real Madrid contacted Saliba’s entourage.”
“I’m not aware of anything concrete at this stage – all I know is that Saliba is fully focused on Arsenal, while Arsenal obviously also consider Saliba as a key part of their project, nothing else.”
“Real Madrid are exploring the centre-backs market since the Leny Yoro case last summer, as they missed out on his signature to Manchester United, but at the moment that’s it; nothing else into those Saliba stories and I can guarantee he’s 100% focused on Arsenal now.”
In July 2023, Saliba signed a long-term contract extension with Arsenal, keeping him at the club until 2028. His influence at the Gunners has only grown, as he became the first outfield player in the club’s history to play every minute of a Premier League season during the 2023-24 campaign.
