French international defender William Saliba signed a new contract with the Gunners last month, committing him to the Emirates Stadium until 2030. However, Real Madrid has made no secret of their intention to lure the 24-year-old centre-back to the Bernabéu.
While Saliba emphasized his current focus on achieving success with Mikel Arteta's squad, he acknowledged awareness of Real's interest. When directly questioned about a potential move to Madrid on the French television program Telefoot, Saliba responded:
“Of course, it’s always tempting when a club like that makes a move. But for me, my desire was to stay at Arsenal. I want to win trophies first before I think about anything else.”
Saliba's words suggest he envisions winning multiple trophies, not just a single piece of silverware. However, his admission might cause some concern among Arsenal fans, especially now that the Gunners are considered strong contenders for the Premier League title and among the favorites for the Champions League.
Should Saliba leave London for Madrid, he would join several French teammates, including Kylian Mbappé, with whom he was a teammate at AS Bondy at the age of 12.