“It’s going to continue” – Arsenal given warning over Real Madrid transfer interest in star player

Arsenal have been warned about Real Madrid and other elite clubs being likely to continue showing transfer interest in William Saliba for the foreseeable future.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Charles Watts explained that Saliba is the kind of elite talent that Europe’s top clubs need to be tracking, though that doesn’t necessarily mean Arsenal will be letting him go.

For now, Watts insists the Gunners won’t be panicking about the links with Real Madrid or anyone else, with Saliba tied down to a contract until 2027, though he also admits he can’t see the France international being a one-club man for his entire career.

Arsenal fans will at least hope they get to have Saliba for the next few years, in what should in theory be the peak of his powers, but it might be that a big-money sale has to be sanctioned at some point.

Saliba transfer: Arsenal should already be working on new contract

Watts added that he feels AFC chief Edu would do well to already start work on a new contract for Saliba, so as to avoid any doubts over the 23-year-old in the coming years as we get closer to the final 18 months of his current deal.

“William Saliba’s name is constantly being mentioned in the same breath as Real Madrid. That’s been the case for the past couple of years and it’s going to continue to be the case going forward,” Watts said.

“Of course he’s going to be linked with Madrid, PSG and every other top side in Europe. Who wouldn’t want William Saliba at their club?

“I don’t know how strong Madrid’s interest is in Saliba, but he’ll be on the radar, just as he will be for the other clubs that I’ve mentioned. If you were a sporting director at a top club and you weren’t keeping tabs on Saliba’s career and how things are going at Arsenal then you wouldn’t be doing your job right.

“But that doesn’t mean he’s going anywhere soon. Arsenal worked very hard to secure Saliba to a new contract just 14 month ago and that deal still has three years left to run.

“So there is no need to panic and Saliba is very, very happy at Arsenal. If I was Edu though, I would already be putting in the groundwork when it comes to Saliba’s next contract. Because the pace of his rise towards the very top of the game demands that Arsenal have to keep up.

“I’ll be perfectly honest and admit that I don’t see Saliba being a one club man. He’s not come through the ranks at Arsenal. He may have followed them as a boy in France, but he doesn’t have an undying loyalty towards them.”

He added: “You don’t want to get into a scenario where Saliba has just 18 months left on his contract, like he did last time. You want to make sure you are protected to avoid giving any interested clubs a stronger hand in terms of trying to prize him away.

“So it’s something Arsenal will be looking at, but they won’t be worried just yet. Saliba is their player and I don’t see that changing for a fair while.”