REAL MADRID have reportedly made contact with William Saliba after making him their top priority for a shock transfer.
The Arsenal star, 23, is widely considered one of the best centre-backs in world football.
His form for the Gunners has seen him cement himself as a regular in the starting XI for France.
And now Los Blancos want to take him to the Bernabeu.
According to Le10Sport, Real Madrid are hoping to follow up the signing of Kylian Mbappe this year by adding his compatriot Saliba next summer.
Saliba joined Arsenal from Saint-Etienne for £27million in 2019 but had to wait until the 2022-23 season to force his way into the side at the Emirates.
Since then, though, he has created a formidable partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes and he started all 38 Premier League games last season, recording a league-high 18 clean sheets.
The 6ft 4ins defender has made his name for being notoriously difficult to beat in one-v-one situations and has managed to keep plenty of the world’s top strikers quiet.
Saliba signed a new £190,000-a-week contract at Arsenal in July 2023 which runs until the end of the 2026-27 season.
But Real Madrid hope to test the player and the North London club’s resolve by making an approach next year.
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The reports in France suggest initial conversations have already taken place to register the LaLiga giants’ interest.
According to Transfermarkt, Saliba is the most valuable defender in the world at £67million – the same as Manchester City’s Ruben Dias.
But Real will know they would need to stump up significantly more than that to convince Arsenal to sell.
In fact, it could take a world-record bid – surpassing the £85m Manchester United paid Leicester for Harry Maguire in 2019 – to sign Saliba.
Should Saliba make the shock switch to Spain, he would not only link up with Mbappe but also fellow Frenchmen Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Ferland Mendy.
Carlo Ancelotti’s preferred centre-back pairing at the moment is Eder Mlitao and Antonio Rudiger.
Rudiger turns 32 this season and therefore the Real Madrid hierarchy could view Saliba as his long-term successor.
Ironically, the former Chelsea man won over plenty of Arsenal fans last week when he heaped praise on Saliba and Gabriel.
Asked about the top centre-backs in the world, Rudiger said: “
Saliba and I like Gabriel from Arsenal as well. If you see Arsenal and the two centre-backs playing together.
“For two years now they are doing an amazing job. The transformation from Arsenal before and now.
“Those two are the pillars of it. You have Gabriel as the more aggressive leader and Saliba, this brother plays clean.
“You have to give it to him he looks like a silent leader.”
