Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is ready to seriously push the boat out in an attempt to tie down star defender William Saliba, amid threatening interest from Real Madrid.
Arsenal facing William Saliba threat from Real Madrid
Saliba started his first game back from an ankle injury in their 1-1 draw with fellow Premier League title contenders Man City last Sunday, relegating in-form summer signing Cristhian Mosquera back to the bench.
While the Frenchman failed to pick up Erling Haaland’s run on the counter-attack, resulting in City’s superstar striker opening the scoring, Mikel Arteta was happy to welcome his star defender back, and Saliba’s presence was still imperative on the whole.
Jurrien Timber
7
William Saliba
4
Jeremy Doku
4
Riccardo Calafiori
3
Declan Rice
2
via WhoScored
Saliba and Gabriel’s exceptional partnership, often touted as the best central defensive pairing in Europe, has been vital to the Gunners’ trophy challenges since 2022.
Largely thanks to their presence, Arsenal have conceded fewer league goals than any other side in the top flight in each of the last two seasons, with only Man City’s treble-winners and a resilient Newcastle team managing a lower number of strikes against them by the end of 2022/2023.
Saliba has established himself as one of Europe’s most commanding and assured centre-backs in that time, which has attracted serious admiration from the Bernabeu.
According to El Desmarque recently, Arsenal are only in a position to demand around £70 million from Real for Saliba next summer, as the 24-year-old has just over two years remaining on his current contract.
With Saliba’s deal expiring in 2027, Berta is currently attempting to negotiate an extension, but it is believed that talks to tie down the France international are taking some time amid a reported delay (Football Insider).
That being said, Arsenal are determined to ward off Xabi Alonso whilst ensuring Saliba is with them for many years to come.
Andrea Berta to push Arsenal limits with huge William Saliba offer
As per reporter Dean Jones, speaking to TEAMtalk, Berta is ready to push Arsenal’s limits with a huge contract offer for Saliba.
The potential deal would see Arteta’s pivotal defender become their highest earner on around £300,000-per-week — earning even more than Kai Havertz (£280k), Gabriel Jesus (£265k), Martin Odegaard (£240k), Declan Rice (£240k) and summer signing Viktor Gyokeres (£200k).
Arsenal see Saliba as one of the best defenders in world football, with Jones reporting they want him to commit at all costs.
“Arsenal remain determined to tie William Saliba down to a new long-term contract, and from what I have been hearing, they have been ready to push the limits of their wage structure to make it happen,” Jones said.
“His current deal runs until 2027, but with Real Madrid keeping a close eye, they want this resolved quickly.
“I’m told they’re prepared to offer a salary in the region of £300,000 a week, which would make him one of the club’s highest earners.
“Some suggestions have put the figure at £250,000, but sources closer to the talks believe it will end up higher because of just how vital he is to Arteta’s project. Arsenal see him as one of the best defenders in the world, a cornerstone of their future, and the message is clear that Saliba isn’t for sale.”
The former Saint-Étienne star is arguably an irreplaceable force at the heart of Arteta’s backline, even if Mosquera did a pretty good job when Saliba was out.
Why Arsenal must tie down William Saliba
Crucially, Saliba is more than just a defender — he’s a leader.
His partnership with Gabriel has become the strongest in England, and his presence has allowed Arsenal to play the high defensive line that underpins their entire tactical approach. Without him, the system arguably doesn’t work the same way.
Securing his future is about more than money or contract clauses — it’s about signalling to the rest of Europe just how serious Arteta’s side are about becoming the continent’s most elite club.
If Arsenal want to continue challenging Liverpool and Man City whilst competing in the Champions League, they cannot risk losing their defensive lynchpin.
Saliba is the type of player you build dynasties around, and the Gunners have worked too hard to reach this point only to let one of their crown jewels leave for a meagre cost.
