After the obligatory team photo, Arsenal’s players sprang into their pre-match routine. There were stretches, high-fives and slaps to the back. The visit of Real Madrid sent a surge of adrenaline through the Emirates Stadium. In the stands and on the pitch, the tension was deliciously palpable.
With one notable exception: while his Arsenal team-mates ran through sprint drills and last-minute instructions, William Saliba stood perfectly still — his head bowed, his hands held upwards in silent prayer.
He didn’t even have to move for the pre-match huddle: it formed around him, the Arsenal players congregating around Saliba like a towering totem.
That is how this Arsenal team has been built, too — around Saliba. His return from a loan spell with Marseille in the summer of 2022 was a turning point for the Mikel Arteta project. His serene, insouciant presence — interrupted only by his wild celebrations whenever Arsenal score — has been the cornerstone of one of the most formidable defences in Europe.
It has attracted interest from elsewhere, too. Arsenal’s Champions League opponents, Real Madrid, are long-term admirers of Saliba. With just two years remaining on his contract in north London, supporters are asking whether Arsenal could become vulnerable to a bid from the Spanish giants, who they face tonight at the Bernabeu in the Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The France international has given no indication that he is preparing to leave Arsenal. “I’m really happy here,” Saliba told a press conference before Arsenal’s meeting with PSV in March. “I’m happy here and I want to continue here.”
At the same time, there’s no denying that Saliba and Real Madrid has a certain ring to it. If there’s a centre-back out there who could be classed as a ‘galactico’, it’s surely Saliba. If you accept the premise that Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world, then Saliba undoubtedly belongs among that cohort. The 24-year-old’s immaculate, upright style of defending would ensure that his white shirt was never muddied. Throw in a childhood friendship with Kylian Mbappe and the story writes itself.
An imminent move — such as in this summer’s transfer window — remains unlikely, however. Real Madrid do need a centre-back this summer, but the high price on Saliba’s head probably places him out of reach. If Madrid are to land him, it may be a war of attrition. As with Mbappe before at Paris Saint-Germain, they will hope Arsenal are unable to extend Saliba’s contract, enabling them to ensnare him for a lower fee next summer or for nothing in 2027.
Arsenal are aware of Madrid’s interest but remain confident they will be able to reach an agreement with Saliba on a new contract. They value him incredibly highly — he is already the highest-paid defender at the club. Arsenal’s interest in £50million Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen is intended to provide a supplement to Saliba and Gabriel, not a potential replacement.
Saliba and Mbappe, France team-mates, are also childhood friends (Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images)
New sporting director Andrea Berta would ideally like to avoid stars such as Saliba and Bukayo Saka entering the final two years of their deals. Equally, the club are realistic about how long such important negotiations can take. Saliba had entered the final 12 months of his previous Arsenal contract before his four-year extension was announced.
At the time, there was some surprise that Saliba’s new contract only ran for a further four years. Ultimately, the length was a compromise, weighing Saliba’s salary demands against Arsenal’s preferred contract length. When that deal was signed, all parties knew it would mean a renegotiation commencing in two years’ time.
Arsenal have been here before, with a superstar French international being linked with Madrid too often for comfort. Patrick Vieira was a reported target for Madrid on a seemingly annual basis, but that was a deal that ultimately never came to fruition.
Some reports have also suggested the two clubs could find themselves in another tussle over Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. Despite some voices at Madrid liking the 26-year-old Spain international, the club claim they are not actively working on his signing at this point and even suggest they see him joining Arsenal. The London club remain confident they are well-positioned to complete a deal this summer.
For his part, Saliba is making all the right noises regarding staying at Arsenal and certainly looked content enough when the three goals went in against Madrid last Tuesday night.
After his successful loan spell with Marseille in 2021-22, Saliba toyed with the idea of leaving Arsenal permanently. Ultimately, the driving force behind staying was a refusal for his time with Arsenal to be seen as a failure. Saliba did not want a black mark on his otherwise outstanding CV.
Knowing that about him, it is difficult to conceive of him leaving Arsenal without first lifting a major trophy. To walk away without a Premier League title — or who knows, a Champions League medal — would leave the job unfinished. In Madrid, they consider the Bernabeu to be Saliba’s destiny, but that destiny might have to wait.
There may well be a career plan for Saliba and it may well include Real Madrid. Before that, however, there is a job to complete with Arsenal.
“I want to win big things with Arsenal,” says the France international. “If you leave this club without winning anything, the fans will forget about you.
“I want to win big things here.”
Additional reporting: Mario Cortegana
(Top photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
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