Arsenal Race Against Time to Lock Down Saliba as Real Madrid Circle
Arsenal are said to be eager to secure a fresh contract with William Saliba before the year concludes as speculation from Real Madrid intensifies.
Securing new deals for both Saliba and Bukayo Saka, whose current agreements run until June 2027, has emerged as a crucial objective for the North London club during their quest for Premier League success. These two stars represent essential components of Mikel Arteta's team, players that Arsenal envision remaining at the Emirates for the foreseeable future.
However, Real Madrid are looking to tempt Saliba with a switch to Spain's capital. The La Liga powerhouse's pursuit of the defender, alongside Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté, for a potential major summer transfer is well-documented, leading Arsenal to accelerate their contract negotiations with the French international.
Based on reports from Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal's discussions with both Saka and Saliba are "progressing excellently," with Mikel Arteta feeling "highly optimistic" about securing extensions for both stars. The club is said to be prioritizing Saliba's situation particularly, considering Real Madrid's pursuit.
"Arsenal are putting forth maximum effort to finalize [Saliba's contract] and complete it as quickly as possible, because Arsenal wanted to avoid entering 2026 with William Saliba having just one year remaining on his deal," Romano disclosed.
This updated schedule provides Arsenal with slightly more than three months to reach terms with Saliba. Should everything proceed smoothly for the Gunners, their defensive star will begin the new year with a renewed contract perfectly timed for the latter portion of the 2025–26 campaign.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will continue to "monitor the developments closely" as the Spanish club seeks to find cover for David Alaba and possibly Antonio Rüdiger, both of whom have less than 12 months remaining on their current deals.
As contract discussions progress with Arsenal, Saliba remains concentrated on regaining complete playing condition. The 24-year-old managed only five minutes against Liverpool before an ankle problem forced his substitution, ruling him out for the September international window and Arsenal's 3–0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
The positive development for Arteta is that Saliba returned to the squad for Arsenal's Champions League debut against Athletic Bilbao.