One of Arsenal’s key first-team players has now held positive talks over a move to Real Madrid, according to a report.
Arsenal still chasing down Liverpool
The Gunners continued their pursuit of Premier League leaders Liverpool yesterday evening, securing a 3-1 win at Brentford, no mean feat considering how solid the Bees have been at home so far this season.
Much of Mikel Arteta’s side’s success over the past few years can be put down to their solid defensive record, with the centre-back pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba looking solid once again on Wednesday night.
Arsenal now have the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League, having shipped just 17 goals in the first half of the season, the same amount as title rivals Liverpool.
As such, the defence remaining solid is likely to be vital to the Gunners’ chances of winning the Premier League, and Arteta will be hoping to keep hold of both Gabriel and Saliba this January and beyond.
Saka 2.0: Arsenal just found a new £100m star in the making vs Brentford
Arsenal have found another mega talent.
ByMatt DawsonJan 2, 2025
That is why new reports from Spain may leave the Gunners boss a little worried, as it has been revealed that Saliba has now held positive talks with European giants Real Madrid.
The La Liga side have identified the Frenchman as one of their priority targets, so they sounded out the player’s entourage and received a positive response.
Arsenal have no plans to sanction the 23-year-old’s departure, given how important he is to the team, but they may be tempted to sell if an offer as high as €100m (£83m) is submitted.
Arsenal’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Brighton & Hove Albion (a)
January 4th
Tottenham Hotspur (h)
January 15th
Aston Villa (h)
January 18th
Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
January 25th
Manchester City (h)
February 2nd
Madrid are eager for Saliba to hand in a transfer request in order to facilitate a move to the Bernabeu, but talks are seemingly still at a very early stage, and there is no indication that he will be on the move anytime soon, particularly as he is contracted until 2027.
Saliba must stay at Arsenal at all costs
It will be concerning news that the defender has held talks with Madrid, but there are no signs that he has any plans to leave Arsenal in the near future, and a successful second half of the season could convince him to stay.
Micah Richards was full of praise for both Saliba and Gabriel after the 2-2 draw against Arsenal earlier this season:
The France international is one of the first names on the teamsheet, and it would be very difficult to find a replacement, so even if a huge offer comes in, Arsenal should hold firm.
At the moment, the Gunners are in a strong negotiating position, considering the centre-back is contracted until 2027, and they should reject any offers that Madrid make, as long as he remains happy to stay at the Emirates Stadium.