The brass at La Liga giants Real Madrid have set their sights firmly on the signature of a member of the defensive ranks at Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
That’s according to French football insider Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport, who points towards William Saliba as the player in question.
It is of course common knowledge at this point that Real Madrid are on the lookout for reinforcements at the back.
Owing to the latest long-term injury suffered by Éder Militão, Los Blancos are aware that dipping into the market for fresh blood with a view to next season is something of a must.
And, amid their ongoing scouring of the market, one name in particular continues to come to the fore – William Saliba.
Arsenal standout Saliba is of course widely considered one of the standout defenders in all of Europe, an absolutely crucial component of Mikel Arteta’s Gunners backline.
But Real Madrid, it would appear, are fully determined to bring an end to his time in north London.
As per RMC:
‘One of Real’s projects will be in defence, where Los Merengues have identified an absolute priority: the French international William Saliba.’
Arsenal, it is added, intend to put up a wall around Saliba once more this summer, with any potential transfer for the 23-year-old therefore likely to set his buyers back a world-record fee for a defender.
Conor Laird – GSFN
