Arsenal star admits “it’s really tempting” to join Real Madrid and won’t rule out future move
Arsenal fans will be worried by their star player’s recent public admission about a potential move away.
There are not many clubs in the world with a greater pull than Real Madrid. When they come calling, even the best and most loyal players’ have their head turned.
The Spanish giants have turned their focus on talent from the Premier League recently.
They successfully lured Trent Alexander-Arnold into leaving his boyhood club Liverpool on sour terms to join them.
And are eyeing several more players from England to follow up. Real Madrid have their eyes set on Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister as I previously reported.
The Los Blancos have also been linked with Ibrahima Konate, with suggestions that they are attempting to sign him on a free as they did with Trent.
Liverpool have made a fresh contract offer to Konate to fend off Madrid.
Another centre-back who has been on Real Madrid’s radar since the summer is Arsenal’s William Saliba.
It was reported that Madrid were keen on signing him before he signed a new deal with Arsenal.
Despite signing a new deal, the Frenchman has refused to rule out a future move to the European giants.
Speaking to Telefoot about Madrid’s summer interest, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano on X, he said: “Of course it’s really tempting when a club like that is interested in you…but I want to win titles at Arsenal first before thinking about anything else.”
William Saliba at the heart of Arsenal’s rock solid defence this season
Signing a new deal to fend off interest from Madrid was an important move from Arsenal going into the new season.
The Gunners have been exceptional this season, having lost just one game in the Premier League. The secret behind their impressive start is their solid defence, with Mikel Arteta’s side only conceding three goals so far and keeping seven clean sheets out of 10.
Looking beyond the clean sheets, Saliba’s individual brilliance is evident in his numbers.
Saliba has kept five clean sheets. His low numbers in certain defensive metrics, such as 0.3 interceptions and 1.1 tackles per game, suggest that he has not had to often need to dive into challenges, a sign of good positioning and anticipation rather than passivity.
The French defender has won possession in the final third only 0.1 times per game, indicating he rarely pushes high up the pitch to press opponents, staying disciplined in his deeper defensive role.
He has also averaged 3.4 ball recoveries per game, reflecting his reliability in regaining control when Arsenal lose possession.
Saliba has also been incredible on one-on-one, with opponents dribbling past him just 0.2 times per game, which is impressively low for a central defender. His 3.7 clearances per game shows his awareness and ability to deal with danger effectively, whether by clearing crosses or long balls.
Perhaps most tellingly, Saliba has made no errors leading to a shot or goal, and he’s yet to concede a penalty, evidence of his composure and near-flawless decision-making under pressure and why an elite club like Madrid is interested in signing him.