William Saliba has cemented his status as one of Arsenal’s most vital players under Mikel Arteta, turning into one of the top centre-backs in Europe. His value goes far beyond basic defending, as he has won possession more often than any teammate in the Premier League since his 2022 debut while also completing more passes than anyone else over the last three years.
The 25 year old combines sheer strength, incredible recovery pace, and total composure on the ball, making him a perfect fit for Arteta’s system. He was only dribbled past seven times during the 2025/26 Premier League season while posting a sparkling 92.9% passing accuracy. Alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, he formed the bedrock of a rock-solid defensive partnership, keeping 15 clean sheets in the 26 league matches they started together.
Arsenal have already protected their position by tying Saliba down to a contract running until 2030, giving the club serious leverage if suitors come knocking. Even so, former Gunners defender William Gallas believes Real Madrid’s history could still tempt the Frenchman.
Speaking to SeatPick and reported by FootballTransfers, Gallas questioned whether Arsenal have reached a tier where Saliba would ignore interest from the Spanish giants:
“I know a lot of people will be mad about what I’m going to say right now but if we are talking about the history of both clubs, Real Madrid and Arsenal, then Real Madrid is Real Madrid. They are on a different level.”
Those remarks carry weight even after Arsenal’s massive strides under Arteta. The manager ended a 22 year title drought by winning the 2025/26 Premier League after three consecutive runners-up finishes. Saliba was the heartbeat of that success, but Gallas argues domestic silverware does not put Arsenal on equal footing with Madrid when luring elite stars:
“For me, even if their performances at the moment are not the best, and even if they haven’t won the biggest trophies recently, Madrid is Madrid, and I’m telling you, any player who has the opportunity to go to Madrid, they will try to go there, and you can’t blame them. You couldn’t blame a player like Saliba if that is his decision.”
The historical gap backs up that point. Real Madrid have lifted the European Cup and Champions League 15 times, more than double AC Milan’s tally. Arsenal have never won Europe’s biggest prize, despite reaching the finals in 2006 and 2026, giving Madrid a massive pull in the market.
Arsenal have seen this script before. Nicolas Anelka left for Madrid in 1999 after a double-winning season, and Manchester United could not stop Cristiano Ronaldo from joining them in 2009 as a Ballon d’Or winner. Madrid’s appeal rarely depends on a player already winning elsewhere, which drives Gallas’ concern.
For now, Arsenal have zero reason to entertain a sale, with their main priority being getting Saliba back to full fitness. The Frenchman took a massive step forward on Sunday by playing the first 45 minutes of Arsenal’s Under-21s’ 5-2 win over Aston Villa after months out with a back problem. That run-out was always planned, and U21s boss David Horseman praised his professionalism while confirming there were no fresh injury scares.
Saliba is now lined up to rejoin Arteta’s first team squad right after the international break, which is brilliant timing given the brutal fixture list ahead. Arsenal face a trip to Newcastle on November 21, head out to play Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League three days later, and then host Manchester City at the Emirates on November 29. Welcoming their defensive rock back into the starting eleven will be a massive lift as Arteta looks to defend the Premier League crown and make a real run in Europe.
