According to Just Arsenal, the club is reportedly making good progress in contract negotiations with key centre-back William Saliba.
Arsenal appear to be making a strong effort to secure William Saliba with a new contract, despite continued interest from Real Madrid
According to Just Arsenal, Los Blancos are still eager to sign the French defender, even after bringing in Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth this summer.
Likewise, Fabrizio Romano reported via CaughtOffside that Real Madrid remain interested in Saliba following the Huijsen signing. He noted that the Spanish club are prepared to make a significant move for him, though he emphasized that Saliba is content at Arsenal, making a transfer unlikely unless he chooses not to renew his contract.
Retaining William Saliba is vital for Arsenal.
Turning down Real Madrid is no simple task for any player, so Arsenal must pull out all the stops to persuade Saliba to stay and commit his future to the club.
Securing his long-term commitment would be a major boost for their project, as the north London club should be looking to build their team around Saliba for the foreseeable future.
At 24, Saliba is among the top defenders in the world and would likely make a significant impact at a major club like Real Madrid.
However, he would be extremely difficult for Arsenal to replace, making this a deal they simply cannot afford to mishandle
The upcoming season could be pivotal for Arsenal’s ongoing project
It’s likely that Saliba may want to see how things unfold, as the next campaign appears to be a critical stage in Mikel Arteta’s plans.
Arsenal narrowly missed out on the Premier League title in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, but their challenge wasn’t as strong in the most recent campaign.
Arteta’s squad deserves credit for reaching the Champions League semi-finals — only the third time in the club’s history — but next season could be make-or-break when it comes to finally securing a trophy.
If it becomes apparent that Arsenal still can’t cross the finish line in major competitions, players like Saliba and others may choose not to stay
