Arteta's nightmare: €120m Arsenal star wanted by three elite European clubs

Cameron Smith

• 9 Sept 2024 15:15 BST
• 3 min read

Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are all tracking Arsenal defender William Saliba as they eye a potential move in 2025.

Saliba, 23, has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in world football over the past few years and his performances in the Premier League have resulted in significant transfer interest.

The France defender is now a regular starter at international level and he was included in the PFA Team of the Year for the second consecutive season after his sublime form during the 2023-24 campaign.

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As a result, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern are all monitoring Saliba’s situation in north London, according to CaughtOffside.

The Frenchman still has three years remaining on his Arsenal contract and the Gunners would likely demand a fee of around €120 million, as per the report, but rumours of an exit have gathered speed in recent weeks.

Real Madrid missed out on top target Leny Yoro during the summer window, with the teenager joining Manchester United instead, while PSG and Bayern remain in the hunt for a new centre-back too.

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Los Blancos appear to be the most likely club to sign Saliba, however, with the Spanish giants regularly sending scouts to watch the France international in action in the Premier League.

Although Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao are Carlo Ancelotti’s first-choice pairing, Real Madrid lost Nacho Fernandez to Saudi Arabia this summer and David Alaba hasn’t featured since December due to injury.

William Saliba’s transfer value

Since returning from loan spells at St Etienne, OGC Nice and Marseille, Saliba’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has steadily increased and he is now valued at €73.3m.

As a result, the Arsenal man is currently the most valuable defender in world football - narrowly ahead of Manchester City and Portugal star Ruben Dias.

He has made 86 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal, scoring five goals and registering two assists.