According to a report from Marca, Florentino Perez is set to prioritise the signing of William Saliba. The Real Madrid president considers him a top target to reinforce his team’s backline and is all set to step up his efforts to sign the Arsenal star.
Saliba came up the ranks at Saint-Etienne and made a name for himself while playing for their first team before making the move to Arsenal back in 2019. He spent the initial years out on loan before eventually breaking into their first team.
He has only gone from strength to strength in recent seasons and has established himself as one of their mainstays. The 24-year-old has featured in a total of 46 matches this season and has racked up over 4,000 minutes of first-team action.
He has been a consistent performer for the Gunners and is widely regarded as one of the best central defenders in the world. His impressive rise has placed him on the radar of Real Madrid, who are constantly on the lookout for players who can further bolster their squad.
Los Blancos have had a lot of problems at the back in recent seasons because of injuries to key players. With David Alaba and Eder Militao struggling to stay fit, the team in white are looking to invest in another young centre-back.
While they do have their eyes on Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, Saliba is their priority target for that role. Their chief scout Juni Calafat has been keeping a close eye on him for some time and he feels the 24-year-old could be a great addition to their squad.
Florentino Perez is also keen on having him on his team and is all set to roll up his sleeves as he looks to bring him to Bernabeu. With Arsenal still alive in the Champions League and Los Blancos pushing for the La Liga title, both clubs are holding talks in a reserved and understated manner.
Perez sees Saliba as an ideal candidate to be one of their future leaders and is prepared to do everything in his power to sign him. However, it won’t be straightforward, as the defender is a key figure at Arsenal and, with his contract running until the summer of 2027, the Gunners are likely to demand a hefty fee.
