Real Madrid may be turning away from a possible deal to sign William Saliba, according to reports, with the Arsenal defender one of a few options the club are looking at.
The Frenchman has impressed in recent years, moving from a promising option to one of the best defenders in the world.
Mikel Arteta saw his initial faith in the 23-year-old payoff when he earned a place in the Arsenal team after several loan spells.
Fast forward to 2025 and William Saliba is nearing the final two years of his contract, putting extra importance on a long-term stay at the Emirates Stadium.
To only add to that potential fear of an exit, Real Madrid have shown transfer interest in Saliba as an option in the coming window.
The Spanish giants may be put off a possible deal though, due to one factor from Arsenal.
- READ MORE: John Terry reveals what he has noticed about ‘top player’ Max Dowman in the Arsenal academy
Real Madrid put off William Saliba transfer due to Arsenal fee
With Real Madrid in the market for a new centre-back, there are several different names on their shortlist for the coming window.
William Saliba is among those being touted as an option, where he could reunite with an old friend of his in Kylian Mbappe.
While the defender is certainly liked by Los Blancos, it could seem as though Arsenal have put them off from making a move.
That’s because, according to Marca, the transfer is likely to be in excess of €70million [£59million], which is deemed to be “complicated” and “excessive”.
A similar situation is claimed of Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, who has been linked with a switch, while Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen has a release clause that is viewed as more accessible for Real Madrid.
It could put an end to a saga surrounding Saliba this summer, but would still not have Arsenal out of trouble just yet.
Arsenal must secure William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes contracts
Not only is William Saliba out of contract in 2027, but so too is his centre-back partner Gabriel Magalhaes.
With the duo entering the final two years of their deals, there are questions about whether they can keep hold of both.
Saliba has been linked with Real Madrid, while Al-Nassr want a transfer for Gabriel, in a move that could split the pair up.
Given their partnership, convincing one of them to stay could help push the other to help out with the project ahead.
It’s important that two of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and perhaps Europe as a whole stay to keep up Arsenal’s dominance at the top.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
