AC Milan and Inter Milan have reportedly joined Real Madrid in the race to sign William Saliba, valued at around €30 million by Arsenal.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato.it, Real Madrid will need to fend off stiff competition from two Serie A giants in the race to sign William Saliba. The French defender, valued at €30 million by Arsenal, is also a target for AC Milan and Inter Milan.
William Saliba has long been regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in Europe but yet finds himself in a pickle. The 20-year-old joined Arsenal from Saint-Etienne in July 2019 but has not made his first-team debut for the Gunners two and a half years since first arriving at the Emirates.
The Frenchman is currently on his third loan stint away from Arsenal after joining Marseille last summer. Saliba has been solid for Les Phoceens, featuring in all but two games for the Ligue 1 club, garnering 2,605 minutes of game-time across 29 appearances in all competitions. The Arsenal loanee’s progress has not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Inter Milan keen on signing him.
The interest from Real Madrid stems from the lack of quality at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal beyond the first-choice centre-backs, Eder Militao and David Alaba. While Nacho is a solid backup option for the Real Madrid boss, the Spaniard is not too reliable as a regular. Saliba is thus a viable target for the Spanish giants, who face stiff competition from AC Milan and Inter Milan in his pursuit.
Inter Milan’s interest in Saliba could be a byproduct of Milan Skriniar being a key target for several European clubs. The Slovakian defender has recently been linked with Liverpool and could depart San Siro in the summer. So the Serie A champions need to keep their options open, with Saliba emerging as an option worth considering.
As for AC Milan, the uncertainties surrounding the future of Alessio Romagnoli is likely to force them to sign a centre-back in the summer. The AC Milan captain is currently in talks with the Serie A giants over a contract renewal. But with his current deal expiring in the summer, options like Malick Thiaw and Saliba have popped up on their radar.
Among the suitors, the first move has been made by Real Madrid, with Los Blancos approaching Arsenal to enquire about Saliba’s availability. The Frenchman could be available for around €30 million, an attractive price tag that could keep AC Milan and Inter Milan in contention to sign the 20-year-old. But it will be interesting to see if Arsenal will want to keep hold of Saliba beyond the summer.