Latest news with #WilliamSaliba
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Real Madrid Are Eyeing A Massive Move For This Arsenal Defender: Dream Signing For Alonso?
In a recent report, Fichajes stated that Real Madrid are eyeing a massive move for Arsenal defender William Saliba this summer. It has been claimed that Los Blancos are willing to pay €90m and arrange a season-long loan deal for Arda Guler as well as send Raul Asencio permanently to the North London club for the French centre-back this off-season. Saliba's Impressive Form In North London Saliba enjoyed a solid run of form at the North London club after he put in a string of impressive displays at the heart of their backline. The France international featured in 51 matches for Arsenal last season, scoring two goals across all fronts. The 24-year-old was a solid presence on the defensive end of the field as he made 62 tackles, 25 blocks and 21 interceptions in the Premier League. He has even been tidy when distributing possession from the back based on his pass success rate of 94.3% in top-flight football (stats via His current contract at the Emirates Stadium will expire in the summer of 2027. Thus, it is no surprise that Los Blancos are preparing such a massive offer for the French defensive ace in this transfer window. LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND – MAY 06: William Saliba of Arsenal during a training session and press conference ahead of their UEFA Champions League 2024/25 semi final first/second leg match at Sobha Realty Training Centre on May 06, 2025 in London Colney, England. (Photo by) Will Saliba Be A Dream Signing For Real Madrid Boss Xabi Alonso? Saliba is a decent tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to earn possession back for his team inside his half. He doesn't mind putting his foot through the ball when needed and is even proficient at playing his way out from the back. Standing at 1.92m, the French centre-back can use his powerful frame to win a lot of aerial duels. He has got a wealth of experience at the highest level and would be a great fit for Real Madrid's needs this summer. Saliba would bring more bite and steel to Xabi Alonso's defence. He is good enough to nail down a regular first-team spot at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium next season. At 24, Saliba has his peak years ahead of him which makes him a dream signing for Los Blancos to pursue this off-season. He might even help the Madrid giants compete for a lot of major honours over the next few years.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Saliba admits new Arsenal signing is ‘scary'
William Saliba has admitted that Viktor Gyokeres is a scary player to come up against, and he's glad to have the striker on his team now. Photo via Given the links to multiple strikers throughout the summer so far, it's no surprise that there's been plenty of online debate about whether or not Viktor Gyokeres was the right choice for Arsenal over someone like Benjamin Sesko. But from a player perspective, having faced Gyokeres in the Champions League last season, William Saliba admits the centre-forward is a scary opponent. Photo by'We know how good he is, it's scary to play against him,' Saliba said. 'Of course, I'm so happy to have him in my club and I'm sure that he will help us to win games and win trophies.' '[He is scary] because when you face a striker who scores goals, you have to be focused. But now he's in our team and he will score for us, so that's good. 'Our mindset is to win the Premier League and we will give everything from the first game. We have a lot of new players and they will hopefully help us to win this league.' Photo byFormer Arsenal player Chuba Akpom recently suggested he'd prefer Gyokeres over Sesko, speaking before the Gunners began to advance on the signing. 'Gyokeres, for me, and it's not even close to be honest,' Akpom said. 'Honestly, it's subjective isn't it? You can talk about age with Sesko, but Gyokeres is ready now. 'I've played against him in the Championship, he took Coventry to the play-off finals basically alone, with one or two other players. And he's gone to Portugal and scored… what is it? I don't know how many goals, 50 goals in both seasons? 'If Arsenal are looking for now, then it's Gyokeres.' Photo byGyokeres' goalscoring numbers are certainly intimidating, as no one scored more than him around Europe's major top-flight leagues last season. 54 goals for Sporting and nine for Sweden meant the striker finished as top scorer in the Primeira Liga, the Taca da Liga, the Taca de Portugal, and the UEFA Nations League, and he also scored six Champions League goals despite only making six starts. It's no wonder opponents are intimidated by playing against the Swedish international.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Update On Real Madrid And Their Pursuit Of This Arsenal Defender: What Should Alonso Do?
In a recent report, Defensa Central offered an update on Real Madrid and their pursuit of Arsenal defender William Saliba this summer. It has been mentioned that Los Blancos would have to pay more than €100m to acquire the services of the French centre-back this off-season. Saliba's Impressive Form In North London Saliba enjoyed a solid campaign at the North London club after he put in a series of impressive displays at the heart of their defence. The France international featured in 51 matches for Arsenal last season, scoring two goals on all fronts. The 24-year-old was a solid presence on the defensive end of the field as he made 62 tackles, 25 blocks and 21 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He was even accurate when distributing the ball from the back based on his pass completion rate of 94.3% in league football (stats via Saliba is under contract at the Emirates Stadium until the summer of 2027. Thus, Los Blancos have got no choice but to meet Arsenal's demands for their prized asset. LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND – MAY 06: William Saliba of Arsenal during a training session and press conference ahead of their UEFA Champions League 2024/25 semi final first/second leg match at Sobha Realty Training Centre on May 06, 2025 in London Colney, England. (Photo by) What Should Real Madrid Boss Xabi Alonso Do With Regards To Saliba? Saliba is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to earn the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn't mind putting his foot through the ball when needed and excels at playing his way out from the back. Standing at 1.92m, the French sensation can use his strong frame to win a few important 50-50 aerial duels for his team. He has already got a wealth of experience at the highest level and is well equipped to make an instant impact at Real Madrid. Saliba would add more bite and steel to Los Blancos boss Xabi Alonso's defence. He is good enough to nail down a regular first-team spot at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium next season. At 24, Saliba has his best years ahead of him which makes him a worthy target for Los Blancos to consider this summer. He might even help the Madrid giants challenge for some major honours over the next few years. Thus, Alonso would be wise to go all out to get Saliba on board this summer.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Arsenal star William Saliba provides honest verdict on Viktor Gyokeres after the striker's £64m move to Gunners
William Saliba has warned Premier League rivals after Arsenal completed the signing of 'scary' Viktor Gyokeres. Following a summer-long saga, Mikel Arteta 's side confirmed the arrival of the Swede on Saturday in a £64million transfer from Sporting Lisbon. Fans got their first look at Gyokeres, who scored 52 goals in 54 matches last season, when he was unveiled ahead of Arsenal's 3-2 pre-season friendly win over Newcastle in Singapore. But for Saliba, the new signing needs no introduction after their clash in last season's Champions League. He said: 'We know how good he is, how it's scary to play against him. When you face a striker who scores goals, you have to be focused, but now he's in our team and he will score for us, so that's good. 'Of course, I'm so happy to have him in my club, and I'm sure that he will help us to win games and win trophies.' Meanwhile, Saliba is hopeful of extending his stay at Arsenal by signing a new long-term contract, following in the footsteps of centre-back partner Gabriel. The Frenchman has two years remaining on his current deal but talks are underway over a renewal. He told reporters: 'Yeah, hopefully. Of course, there is nothing now but there is a good conversation with my agent and the club. Let's see.' Saliba is hopeful Arsenal will go over the line and win the title in the upcoming season having strengthened with the signings of the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Noni Maduke and Gyokeres. 'Every year is different,' the defender added. 'We have to learn from the last three seasons. Of course, we are lucky to have a chance to compete in the Premier League again and try to win. 'Our mindset is to win the Premier League and we will give everything from the first game. We have a lot of new players and they will hopefully help us to win this league.'
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
William Saliba reveals transfer preference amid Real Madrid and PSG interest - 'Hopefully'
Arsenal star William Saliba is of interest to Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain but the Frenchman has now spoken out on where he sees his immediate future William Saliba has given Arsenal fans a huge boost by revealing he is in talks over a new contract as the Gunners gear up for another Premier League title challenge. The French defender is one of the most sought-after centre-backs in world football, with the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain monitoring his situation. But the 23-year-old has made it clear he wants to stay in north London and play a key role in Mikel Arteta 's push for glory. Asked whether he is going to sign a new deal, Saliba said: 'Yeah, hopefully. Of course there is nothing now but there is a good conversation with my agent and the club. Let's see.' It follows a string of renewals at Arsenal, with Saliba's central defensive partner Gabriel signing a new five-year contract in May. Youngsters Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are also committing their long-term future to the club and star winger Bukayo Saka is also in line for fresh terms, as he also has two years left on his current deal. Saliba was speaking after Arsenal wrapped up the Singapore leg of their Asia tour with a 3-2 win over Newcastle, having also beaten AC Milan. The Gunners now head to Hong Kong to face fierce rivals Tottenham on Thursday. The France international is excited by the direction the team is heading, especially after the club signed six new players this summer. Viktor Gyokeres joined the squad to watch Sunday's win, and more could follow, with Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze a firm target. 'Every year is different,' he added. 'We have to learn from the last three seasons. Of course, we are lucky to have a chance to compete in the Premier League again and try to win. 'Our mindset is to win the Premier League and we will give everything from the first game. We have a lot of new players and they will hopefully help us to win this league. 'Pressure is good, that means we are in a good place. We need to keep going like this. If we are not good we don't have pressure, so it's good. We play football to have pressure.' Saliba has also been blown away by the talent of two 15-year-olds, Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, who trained with the squad on tour and played in both games so far. 'They are unbelievable. They are young so we mustn't put pressure on them, but to play the way they play at 15! I remember when I was 15, I was not playing with the first team. "I was with the U-17s, so it's good. We have to protect them and give them support, but of course, they are really good players, and I hope they will help us as soon as possible.' Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
