Real Madrid want to sign Arsenal centre-back William Saliba and are willing to wait until the expiry of his contract in 2027, according to reports.
Saliba has been excellent for Arsenal since coming into the first team at the start of 2033/23 and is regarded as one of the best central defenders in the world.
The Frenchman’s partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes is a huge reason for the Gunners’ defensive record under Mikel Arteta, though the Brazilian is out for the season with a hamstring injury.
Arteta’s side did not miss Gabriel too much when they dismantled Los Blancos in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, winning 3-0 at the Emirates.
Rumours have been circulating that Real Madrid will approach Arsenal for Saliba in the summer, but that has been deemed unlikely. Moreover, the European champions’ goal is to sign him for nothing in 2027, when the player will be 26 years old.
This is according to a report from The Athletic, where it is claimed Madrid are ‘considering’ many players with a new centre-back a priority.
It is not decided if they will sign ‘a young centre-back with great potential’ or ‘an older player who can immediately perform, provided they are not too expensive’.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah has been linked but the report claims Madrid ‘turned him down’ after being ‘offered’ the chance to sign him.
The player the Spanish giants ‘are most keen on’ is Arsenal star Saliba, who ‘they considered signing’ before he joined Arsenal.
Sneakily, the club ‘have kept a positive relationship’ with Saliba’s entourage.
While this is the case, a summer transfer ‘is highly unlikely’ as the money Madrid would be willing to pay would be rejected and a ‘potential fee would be too high’.
The Premier League side eager to agree a new contract and the sneaky sods in the Spanish capital are ‘deploying their usual transfer strategy of staying close to the player discreetly and preparing the ground to try and sign him in 2026 for an affordable amount or in 2027 as a free agent’.
Another Premier League player Madrid are considering is Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, who is being ‘talked about behind the scenes’.
Huijsen has a £50million release clause, though the expectation is that he will move to another Premier League club amid interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.
There have been discussions between the La Liga side and the 19-year-old’s representatives but ‘it is difficult to see them spend so much money’ on him.
The report adds:
Reports have also linked Madrid with players including RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba and Jorrel Hato of Ajax. Lukeba, a 22-year-old French centre-back, has a buy-out clause worth around €90m but agreed with Leipzig during his latest renewal that he could leave for a lower fee. The Premier League is his most likely destination.
And despite Madrid’s defensive problems and the board’s intentions, some sources at their Valdebebas training ground doubt they will sign a centre-back. They cite previous ‘promises’ on signings that were not kept and the number of centre-backs on the wage bill. The board have previously pointed to this and the academy as two reasons not to make signings.
Alaba is almost 33, has a contract until 2026 and wants to stay, according to those close to him. The 32-year-old Rudiger’s deal also runs until next year; he wants to stay despite interest from Saudi Arabia. Militao, 27, renewed his deal in 2022 until 2028 and will stay.