Arsenal’s trophy drought under Mikel Arteta looks set to stretch into another summer.
Having lost the Premier League title to Liverpool, the Gunners are now battling to secure a runners-up finish.
They currently sit second with 68 points, but both Newcastle and Manchester City are breathing down their neck, just two and three points behind, respectively.
But with Champions League qualification already secured, the club’s attention now turns to strengthening the squad while keeping its core intact.
One player the club’s hierarchy is desperate to tie down again is William Saliba. The 24-year-old has two years left on his current deal but Saliba has been strongly linked with Real Madrid.
Dean Huijsen move won’t affect Real Madrid’s interest in Arsenal’s William Saliba
Transfer expert Ben Jacobs has warned that Real Madrid’s long-standing admiration for Saliba has not cooled, even though Madrid are closing on Dean Huijsen’s signing as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.
According to Jacobs, Madrid are planning to future-proof their defence and could look to sign two centre-backs this summer, with Saliba still high on their list alongside Ibrahima Konate.
Speaking on Curtis Shaw TV on YouTube, Jacobs stated: “I know we hear Real Madrid are pushing and I wouldn’t view Huijsen to Real Madrid as ending their interest in Saliba, two defenders could definitely come in for Real Madrid and Ibrahima Konate is another name on their list.
“Arsenal feel Saliba is intent on staying. We should always respect a club or Real Madrid’s stature, but Arsenal believe Saliba will negotiate with them first before engaging with any other clubs.”
William Saliba’s future at Arsenal remains uncertain
Arsenal are keen on securing the defender on a new contract, with recent reports suggesting that Arsenal have started contract talks with Saliba.
And while Arsenal have no intentions of selling Saliba under any circumstances, they risk making the same mistake Liverpool did with Trent Alexander-Arnold, allowing a key player’s contract to run down.
Saliba remains a dream target for Real Madrid, and based on their recent transfer strategy, Los Blancos have been highly effective in convincing top targets to run down their deals and join on free transfers.
With just 24 months left in Saliba’s contract, the transfer could easily go down the same route if Arsenal are not careful.
