William Saliba stance on Real Madrid revealed after approach for Arsenal star

William Saliba has ‘always maintained a special bond’ with Real Madrid (Picture: Getty)

William Saliba’s stance on a transfer to Real Madrid has been revealed after the La Liga side made an approach to sign the Arsenal superstar.

It emerged last week that the Spanish club have made the French centre-back their primary defensive target for the upcoming summer window.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has attempted to play down the transfer rumours, insisting that the 24-year-old is ‘very happy’ at the Emirates.

But it seems that the Gunners could be facing an absolute nightmare overSaliba if fresh reports from French outlet L’Equipe turn out to be accurate.

They have sensationally claimed that Saliba’s entourage have already made contact with Real Madrid over a move at the end of the season.

Saliba’s stance is that he is only considering an Arsenal exit to join Real Madrid – Spanish and European champions last term – and no other club.

Arsenal are desperate not to lose Saliba, who has established himself as one of the best defenders in the world over the last couple of seasons.

William Saliba has become one of the best defenders in the world (Picture: Getty)

The Gunners have offered the France international a contract extension and are trying to convince him that he can win trophies in north London.

Saliba has only registered two Community Shields at Arsenal with the club finishing as Premier League runners-up in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Arsenal are currently refusing to even set a price tag for their superstar centre-back, under contract at the Emirates until the summer of 2027.

William Saliba regards Real Madrid as ‘the highest level attainable’ (Picture: Getty)

But Saliba has ‘always maintained a special bond’ with Real Madrid, which he regards as ‘the highest level attainable’.

If Saliba refuses to sign a new deal at Arsenal in the next year or so, it will leave the north Londoners more or less doomed over the player’s future.

That’s because Saliba will enter the final 12 months of his Arsenal contract in the summer of 2026, which would put Real Madrid in a much better negotiating position as they could then land him for far less money.

Therefore, it may make more sense for Arsenal to cash in now and reinvest in a new defender instead of giving Saliba the chance to run down his deal.

It’s unlikely that Real Madrid are going to give up on a move for Saliba given they’ve been tracking him since his Saint-Etienne days in Ligue 1.

Saliba has played 131 games for Arsenal to date and has formed a key partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes in the heart of the Gunners’ defence.

He has been named in the Professional Footballers’ Association Premier League Team of the Year for the last two seasons in a row.

Saliba is hoping to help Arsenal win the Champions League this term but they face an uphill battle ahead of their semi-final second leg against PSG having lost 1-0 at home in the first meeting.