Arsenal will demand more than €100 million for key defender on Real Madrid’s radars | OneFootball

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid’s long-standing interest in William Saliba has resurfaced, but Arsenal are making it abundantly clear that the French defender will not leave the Emirates for anything less than €100 million.

The Spanish giants, who have been monitoring Saliba for some time, now face a major financial obstacle if they wish to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Saliba, who is under contract with Arsenal until 2027, is seen as untouchable by manager Mikel Arteta. His consistency, composure, and growing leadership at the back have made him one of the most valuable players in the Premier League.

As a result, Arsenal are now pushing to extend his current deal until 2032, aiming to shut the door on any possible exit.

Real Madrid monitoring but unlikely to pay asking price

It is said that Real Madrid are closely monitoring developments, but a summer move looks complicated.

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 29: William Saliba of Arsenal celebrates after teammate Mikel Merino scores a goal which is later disallowed due to offside following a VAR review during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium on April 29, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Although reports suggest that Madrid are contemplating a bid this summer, the club is not willing to meet Arsenal’s €100 million valuation.

The initial idea was to wait until 2026, when Saliba would have just one year remaining on his contract.

That would theoretically weaken Arsenal’s bargaining power and make the deal more feasible. However, Arsenal are acting swiftly to prevent that scenario by offering the 24-year-old a new long-term deal.

For now, the reality is pretty clear that Arsenal have no intention of selling Saliba, especially not for anything less than a nine-figure sum.

This is because Real Madrid have already spent more than €150 million in signing four players, namely, Alvaro Carreras, Dean Huijsen, Franco Mastantuono and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

This means unless the Frenchman pushes for a move or refuses to renew his deal, a transfer to Madrid this summer remains highly unlikely.