Real Madrid really like 23-year-old Arsenal superstar, could look to sign him in 2026: Reports

Real Madrid are reportedly looking to sign William Saliba from Arsenal in 2026. Los Blancos are keen on getting a defender in soon, but are unwilling to spend big this summer.

As per a report in Relevo, Saliba is the top target for Real Madrid but they are not interested in making a move this summer. The Spanish giants are happy with Raúl Asencio and believe that they can go for another season with the current defenders in the squad.

The reigning LaLiga champions are also looking to promote Jacobo Ramón or Joan Martínez to the first team next season. However, the Spanish side are undecided on the future of David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger. They are looking to take the 2025-26 season to figure it out as both players will be in the final year of their deal.

Saliba recently spoke about his future and was quoted by Mirror as saying:

“Yeah of course, I feel at home. I signed for the club five years ago but it’s only my third season and I’m enjoying everything – the players, the staff and the fans. I feel at home so of course, why not?”

Real Madrid were also linked with Virgil van Dijk, but the Dutchman is currently not on their wishlist as per Relevo.

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Arsenal star William Saliba looks like a Real Madrid player, claims Jamie Carragher

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher spoke about William Saliba on 'It’s Called Soccer' earlier this week. He believes that the Arsenal star looks like a Real Madrid player and could follow the likes of Xabi Alonso, Gareth Bale, and Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Premier League sides and move to Santiago Bernabeu.

He said via GOAL:

"There is one player, and people will be thinking I’m trying to cause a problem for Arsenal here and I’m not. But I think when you’re at a club, and this happened to us at Liverpool, once you don’t win the league or the Champions League, other bigger clubs start thinking, 'okay, we can take their player.'"

"So for us at Liverpool it was [Xabi] Alonso, [Javier] Mascherano and [Fernando] Torres and then that team that had been built by Rafa Benitez – players were just leaving left, right and centre. I do look at Saliba and to me he looks like a Real Madrid player. I can imagine him in a Real Madrid kit," Carragher added.

William Saliba has a contract until 2027 at Arsenal after penning a new four-year deal in 2023.