How Real Madrid Is Playing The Long Game With Arsenal's William Saliba
It is no secret that Real Madrid hold a serious interest in signing French defender William Saliba from Arsenal, but fans may need to be patient when it comes to seeing him where a white shirt at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
A combination of injuries and aging players means that Real Madrid is in the market for a new center-back this summer, but it is unlikely to be Saliba on this occasion.
According to The Athletic, the chances of Saliba joining Real Madrid are 'highly unlikely' this summer. The Frenchman is under contract at Arsenal until 2027 and the club is actively trying to get him to renew.
Therefore, any approach from Real Madrid would either be turned down or prove to be way too expensive. Instead, the usual transfer strategy of Real Madrid will be deployed.
William Saliba LOVED that win vs Real Madrid, last night. ❤️🤣 pic.twitter.com/FWijglnPfH
— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) April 9, 2025
As the club has done for Trent Alexander-Arnold, it will stay close to the player and discreetly lay the groundwork to try and sign him in 2026 when there is only a year left on his contract, or on a free transfer in 2027.
The likes of David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger and Kylian Mbappe all arrived for free at Real Madrid, and Alexander-Arnold is expected to do the same this summer.
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Euan is an experienced soccer writer who has been featured by The Guardian, MARCA, 90min, Sempre Milan and many more similar publications. He secured a first-class degree in journalism at Liverpool John Moores University and his career has seen him primarily focus on European football, developing an in-depth knowledge of multiple clubs and leagues in the process.
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