Real Madrid have reportedly made a key Arsenal star their top summer target.
It is no secret that Los Blancos are gearing up for a raid of the Premier League’s finest talent having been linked with multiple players in recent months.
They have reportedly stepped up their interest in Trent Alexander-Arnold this month while Rodri’s signature is seen as an aspirational goal.
In September, The Independent reported that Cristian Romero and William Saliba were part of their four-man shortlist alongside those names.
And now French outlet Le10Sport have claimed that Saliba has been elevated to their highest priority, with Madrid having already put out feelers to his camp.
Real Madrid have reportedly made Arsenal defender William Saliba their top summer target
Saliba has been the backbone of Arsenal’s defence alongside centre-half partner Gabriel
According to Le10Sport, Carlo Ancelotti’s side are on the cusp of launching a ‘major operation’ to lure the defender to the Spanish capital.
Saliba has been a lynchpin of the Arsenal back line since 2022 and played every minute of the 2023-24 campaign in the Premier League’s most watertight defence.
This season has been no different and his partnership with Gabriel is, for some, the most enviable in world football.
Madrid have long admired Saliba, having been named as part of a group of suitors in the 2021-22 season while he was impressing on loan at Marseille.
Last year he inked a new contract at the Emirates until 2027 reportedly worth around £10million per season.
It is therefore reasonable to assume that Arsenal would not hand him over without a fight and compelling financial persuasion.
Madrid have not spent big bucks on a defender for years. Their last major outlay at the back was for left-back Ferland Mendy from Lyon in 2019, when they forked out around £47.m as per Sky Sports.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of four Premier League stars reported to be targeted by Madrid
Rodri is also reportedly among the players that Real Madrid could look to sign next summer
They have had success in the free market bringing in stars such as Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea and David Alaba from Bayern Munich, and it could be the same with Alexander-Arnold this summer.
Their pursuit of Saliba suggests that they are willing to break from that recent tradition.
