William Saliba and ex-Arsenal ace already dropped transfer hint as 'Real Madrid plot move'

William Saliba has been a large deed for Arsenal since signing for the Gunners backmost successful 2019, but Real Madrid whitethorn soon marque a determination for the French centre-half having failed to motion him successful the summer

Matteo Guendouzi has antecedently claimed that William Saliba's 'true' footballing emotion lies with 1 club, and it's not with Arsenal.

Saliba, a French centre-back, climbed the ranks astatine St Etienne earlier making his archetypal squad debut for the Ligue 1 broadside successful 2018. However, Arsenal were speedy to spot the 23-year-old's potential, snapping him up for the Emirates Stadium successful a £27million woody the pursuing year.

But Saliba's modulation to northbound London wasn't creaseless - helium was loaned backmost to St Etienne for the 2019/20 season, past to Nice the adjacent season. He spent the 2021/22 play with Marseille, earlier being recalled to Arsenal wherever helium has since recovered his footing.

Under Mikel Arteta, the tough-tackling centre-half has racked up 92 appearances crossed each competitions and has been a cardinal fig successful their Premier League rubric challenges successful caller seasons. However, Lazio midfielder Guendouzi - who played alongside Saliba astatine Marseille - has suggested that the Gunners star, present connected Real Madrid's radar, volition ever clasp a brushed spot for the French club.

In a 2022 interrogation with Telefoot, ex-Arsenal prima Guendouzi said: "William has OM present successful his heart, and I'm definite helium volition instrumentality to Marseille adjacent season. So I volition effort to propulsion him again to enactment with us," reports Football London. But a woody betwixt the 2 clubs ne'er materialised, with Saliba forcing his mode into Arteta's squad for the 2022/23 run - wherever helium has remained ever since.

Arsenal's young endowment was important successful the Gunners' second-place rubric bid past season, which finished successful disappointment arsenic they were beaten by conscionable 2 points by Manchester City. Saliba has ne'er claimed to beryllium looking for a determination distant from Arsenal but successful 2022 helium did hint that he'd beryllium unfastened to returning to Marseille 1 day, saying: "It would beryllium my pleasance to travel backmost nary substance what. It's not arsenic if I cognize I'm not going to travel back, it's Marseille, it's my club."

Saliba and Guendouzi shared their thoughts erstwhile his destiny astatine Arsenal was uncertain and earlier he'd stepped onto the transportation for them, and circumstances person since shifted. During his tenure astatine Marseille from 2021-2022, Saliba clocked up 36 Ligue 1 appearances, propelling the squad to clinch the runners-up presumption down PSG earlier returning to marque his people astatine the Emirates.

Now firmly established nether Arteta and having committed to a caller declaration extending to 2027, Saliba finds himself amidst rumours of a imaginable power to Real Madrid adjacent year. Madrid showed involvement successful Saliba successful the astir caller summertime transportation window, amid issues with their first-choice defender Eder Militao's fittingness troubles.

However, they ne'er submitted an authoritative bid, contempt besides losing retired connected Leny Yoro to Manchester United. Saliba seldom discusses his transportation plans but lone past twelvemonth expressed his tendency to enactment astatine Arsenal for a agelong clip and triumph trophies truthful Madrid could beryllium hard-pressed to effort and get him to join.

Arteta and Edu besides person nary plans to fto spell of their prima player. They're banking connected his loyalty and important relation successful the squad arsenic they purpose to outdo themselves this play and snatch the Premier League rubric from Manchester City.

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