Arsenal are moving quickly to lock down William Saliba, who has emerged as a cornerstone of their defense. The Gunners have presented the French center-back with an improved contract extension to ward off interest from top clubs.
Recently, CaughtOffside reported that Real Madrid remain closely tracking William Saliba’s situation. The Spanish club appears to be waiting either for his contract to expire or for Arsenal to feel pressure to sell.
The report mentions that Madrid may view the 2026‑2027 season as a prime opportunity to make a serious move. Meanwhile, PSG are reportedly monitoring Saliba as well, though a return to Ligue 1 seems unlikely in the near future.
Alex Pantling/Getty Images
“Look, the interest from Real Madrid, PSG or whoever, that’s not going to go away because Saliba is a top player and one of the best centre-backs in European football,” O’Rourke said.
“But I think Arsenal, they’re in talks over a long-term improved contract to try and keep him and sort of say that they see him as a mainstay in the team going forward.
“I think there’s confidence within the Arsenal side that they can get a deal done to sort of extend his stay at the North London club and sort of end this ongoing speculation that he could be prised away.”
Saliba has firmly established himself at the heart of Mikel Arteta’s plans, both now and for the future, proving his quality and consistency at the highest level over several seasons.
His pairing with Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Magalhães is currently one of the standout defensive partnerships in world football, making it clear why the Gunners are keen to lock down his future.
Read the full article here