Arsenal have a lot of work to do in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Gunners look like they will finish second again for the third season in a row. That’s not an awful achievement considering the circumstances this term, but it’s still not where Mikel Arteta wants his side to be.
Andrea Berta has arrived at Arsenal and is in charge of strengthening the squad this summer. All eyes will be on incomings, but a few players could leave too.
One key Arsenal star has been heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer. Emmanuel Petit has had his say on that.
Emmanuel Petit delivers verdict on Arsenal potentially selling William Saliba to Real Madrid
William Saliba is one of Arsenal’s most important players.
The France international has been one of the first names on Arteta’s team sheet since the start of the 2022/23 season, and he has been magnificent.
The defender’s brilliant performances have not gone unnoticed – he is a wanted man.
Real Madrid have made Saliba their top target, and the Galacticos rarely ever fail to get the players they want to sign.
Petit has now claimed that he has been reading reports that Arsenal could sell Saliba. If that happens, the pundit believes Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice will start questioning their future.
The French World Cup winner said on talkSPORT: “I’ve been reading things about selling Saliba to Real Madrid. I’m thinking ‘What the hell? You want to bring in strikers, wingers, and then you sell your best defender? What’s the point? It’s a step back if you do that.”
Later in the show, when asked what Arsenal need this summer, Petit said: “The first step will be to keep your best players.
“If you start selling your best players, starting from Saliba, there’s no way that players like Saka and Rice… they will think: ‘What the hell? What are we doing?’”
What Arsenal think William Saliba will do amid Real Madrid links
It’s very rare that a player turns down a move to Real Madrid when they come calling.
The Galacticos are the biggest club in the world, and many players dream of donning the legendary white shirt at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Saliba may well have that dream, but his immediate future lies in North London.
TBR Football exclusively revealed that Arsenal are confident of tying Saliba down to a new contract this summer beyond his current deal that expires in 2027.
The feeling within the club is that the defender is happy at the Emirates and will continue there, despite the interest from the Spanish capital.
