According to reports, La Liga giants Real Madrid have decided that they ‘must’ sign Arsenal centre-back William Saliba this summer.
Saliba‘s form has dipped slightly this season, but he stepped up in the absence of Gabriel Magalhaes on Tuesday night as Arsenal produced a statement performance to beat Real Madrid 3-0 at the Emirates.
The Gunners are now the firm favourite to reach the Champions League semi-finals after Saliba’s brilliant performance contributed to a sensational victory for Mikel Arteta’s side.
France international Saliba has been sporadically linked with a potential move to Real Madrid in recent years and a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes claims they will ‘return’ for the centre-back.
READ: Mikel Arteta’s best decisions as Arsenal manager includes difficult Saliba, Aubameyang calls
Real Madrid need to sign a new centre-back as Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are nearing the end of their careers. The report claims Florentino Perez has ‘fallen in love with’ Saliba and the Spanish giants is ‘going for this signing’ with Arsenal ‘trembling’.
‘Perez returned from London with one fixed idea: William Saliba must wear white.
‘Saliba represents the ideal profile: young, imposing, with tactical awareness, measured aggression, and a clean exit from the back that fits with Ancelotti’s style of play.
The 24-year-old Frenchman has a contract with Arsenal until 2027 and is valued at around €100 million [around £86m].’
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It won’t be a simple transaction, but Valdebebas is already planning the path to attracting the player and opening negotiations with the London club.
‘They see him as a strategic move: a leader for the next decade. With Florentino Perez’s decision in place, William Saliba’s name has become a priority on the club’s agenda.’
Bukayo Saka also shone against Real Madrid and Emmanuel Petit thinks he “could easily be playing” for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
“Bukayo Saka could easily be playing for Real Madrid,” Petit said.
“He’s one of the best players in the world in his position, even at this early stage of his career. It’s incredibly rare to see someone return from injury and consistently perform at such a high level, as he did on Tuesday night.
“His contributions in terms of goals and assists are elite. Just look at his performance against Madrid — he was absolutely crucial for Arsenal.
“One-on-one, down the flank, he’s a nightmare to defend. If Madrid were to make a move for him, I’m sure their fans would be more than delighted.”
