Morgan Schneiderlin insists William Saliba may find it tough to turn down Real Madrid and tipped the Arsenal star to make the move at some stage.
William Saliba arrived at Arsenal back in 2019 on the back of some impressive displays with Saint-Étienne at a very young age. The Gunners signed him, but he went on a series of loan deals before being called up by Mikel Arteta ahead of the 2022-23 season.
What transpired after he was successfully integrated, nearly three years after his arrival, has been nothing short of incredible. Under Arteta, Saliba has become one of the best central defenders in world football, while there’s an argument that he is the best in the position.
His partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes is also considered the best there is at the moment, which helped Arsenal win the Premier League last season. However, there have been constant questions about his future, with Saliba himself never being drawn into speculation.
In fact, he has signed two new deals at Arsenal between 2023 and 2025, as he is currently tied to the club until 2030. Hence, the Gunners are not worried about what the future holds with the defender, as they will be in a position to demand an unprecedented record fee should they be forced into a sale.
Morgan Schneiderlin tips Saliba to join Real Madrid
Former Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, via his comments on TeamTalk, has tipped Saliba to join Real Madrid if the Spanish giants come calling in the near future. The Frenchman is of the belief that it would be difficult to turn down an approach from the Bernabeu giants, and that is extended to Saliba as well despite Arsenal’s strong position with regard to his future.
Schneiderlin said: “William Saliba to Real Madrid? That’s something he will need to decide for himself.
“There are very few centre-backs in the world right now capable of delivering those kinds of performances.
“I said this many years ago when he was playing for Nice, if I were a big club, I would buy him immediately, because down the line his price tag would become far too high.
“He is an incredible player to have in your side. But when a decision like that comes up, there are a handful of clubs in your career that you simply cannot turn down, and Real Madrid is one of them.”
The former Manchester United midfielder is not alone in having such a take, as William Gallas also suggested something similar recently. There’s an argument to be had with Saliba and his future when it comes to interest from Real Madrid, where Jose Mourinho is keen to sign the 25-year-old Arsenal key star.
However, the bigger question is for Real Madrid rather than Arsenal or Saliba, on whether they are ready to pay unprecedented sums for a central defender when the time comes. Arsenal are in the best of positions when it comes to the 25-year-old’s future and are unlikely to entertain approaches anytime soon, and even then they will demand a record-breaking fee.