Following the publication of reports that linked William Saliba with a transfer to Real Madrid, a video of him interacting with an Arsenal fan has garnered widespread attention.
Over the course of his time with Arsenal, Saliba, who is now 23 years old, has established himself as one of the most accomplished central defenders in the world of football. He has formed a formidable partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes at the core of the Gunners’ defence.
After playing 24 league games so far this season, Arsenal has only allowed 22 goals to be scored against them. This is an outstanding defensive record that has provided them with another opportunity to compete for the championship. The team led by Mikel Arteta is currently six points behind the leaders of the league, Liverpool, who have played one game fewer than Arsenal.
The individual performances of Saliba have garnered the attention of a number of the most prestigious clubs in Europe, including Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, the reigning champions of both Spain and Europe.
Saliba has reportedly been “identified as an absolute priority” by the Spanish giants for the summer transfer window, according to a report that was published in the French publication RMC Sport.
However, Arsenal does not anticipate losing Saliba and would require a record-breaking fee for a defender in order to agree to any potential transfer, according to the report.
The current record is held by Harry Maguire, who moved to Manchester United from Leicester County in 2019 for a transfer fee of eighty million pounds.
Arsenal are planning to return to competitive action on Saturday against Leicester, who are struggling in the Premier League. They are currently training in Dubai in preparation for this match.
Their players were seen signing autographs for fans in the United Arab Emirates on Monday, and the interaction that involved Saliba was the one that garnered the most attention and became the subject of the most headlines.
The video shows a supporter giving Saliba an Arsenal shirt to sign and telling the defender, “Saliba, Champions League please!” The defender may have responded by saying, “Inshallah [If Allah wills it]” to the supporter’s request.
The fan continued by saying, “Please Saliba, never go to Madrid!” while another supporter could be heard saying, “No Madrid, yes? ” while the shirt was being signed. “Remain in Command!”
During the video, Saliba is seen laughing awkwardly and refusing to commit himself to Arsenal. His reaction has sparked debate among fans on social media platforms.
One fan posted on X, “Nervous laughter…,” for example.
Another person chimed in, saying, “Oh, that laugh, the brother is going to Madrid already.”
A third individual made the following observation: “Didn’t like his reaction.”
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has issued a warning to the club that they must demonstrate ambition in the transfer market this summer if they want to keep players like Saliba at the Emirates. This comes after the Gunners were unable to sign a striker who was desperately needed during the cold winter transfer window.
As soon as possible, we need to begin considering Gabriel, Saliba, and [Bukayo] Saka respectively. As of the conclusion of this season, they have two years remaining,” Wright stated.
Can you imagine how long it will be before their management teams say, ‘We need to see the ambition of this club’? Given the current state of affairs, does any of those players wish to find themselves in a position where they do not end up winning anything?
“During the summer, they need to do some incredible business,” the speaker said. It is necessary for them to acquire players who will convince them to shout out, “F**k, these guys are serious.”
