William Saliba's Future: Could Real Madrid Lure Him Away from Arsenal?
William Saliba has become the symbol of Arsenal’s resurgence under Mikel Arteta – a towering, assured presence at the heart of a team that finally climbed back to the summit of English football last season.
Yet in the eyes of William Gallas, there is one club that could still turn his head. And it does not play in north London.
“Real Madrid is Real Madrid”
Gallas, who knows both Arsenal and the demands of elite European football as a former France international, believes Saliba would find it “incredibly difficult” to reject Real Madrid if the Spanish giants ever moved for him.
Speaking to SeatPick, Gallas cut straight to the point.
“Are Arsenal at a high enough level now that William Saliba would turn down Real Madrid if they came in for him?” he said. “I know a lot of people will be mad about what I’m going to say right now but if we are talking about the history of both clubs, Real Madrid and Arsenal, then Real Madrid is Real Madrid. They are on a different level.”
That’s the crux of his argument. Arsenal are rising. Madrid, in his view, exist on a permanent higher plane.
Saliba has rapidly become one of the most coveted centre-backs in world football since finally settling at Arsenal after his early loan spells. His partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes underpinned Arteta’s side as they powered to the Premier League title last season, with the Frenchman’s calm authority and physical dominance turning tight games in Arsenal’s favour.
The club responded by tying him down to a long-term contract running until 2030 earlier this year. It was a statement: this is the defender around whom they intend to build an era.
Gallas, though, argues that the pull of the Bernabeu sits in a category of its own.
“For me, even if their performances at the moment are not the best, and even if they haven’t won the biggest trophies recently, Madrid is Madrid,” he said. “And I’m telling you, any player who has the opportunity to go to Madrid, they will try to go there, and you can’t blame them. You couldn’t blame a player like Saliba if that is his decision.”
The message is brutal for Arsenal fans who see Saliba as non-negotiable. In Gallas’ eyes, there are some badges you simply don’t turn down.
Arsenal’s Rise, Madrid’s Shadow
Arsenal’s evolution under Arteta has been undeniable. A fractured squad has become a unified, aggressive side capable of suffocating opponents and sustaining a title challenge across a full campaign. The Premier League trophy returned, and with it, a sense that the club had finally stepped back into the light.
Gallas still feels the wider European picture tells a harsher story.
“Arsenal and Manchester United?” he added. “They are still behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, even Manchester United still to this day because they have such a big history. That’s why I think now with clubs like Arsenal, even if they had a good history in the past, what they are doing right now is rebuilding. They are trying to tell their story again, and they are on the right track, but they are still behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.”
That word – rebuilding – will sting some Arsenal supporters who see a title and a young, hungry squad as proof they are already back among the elite. For Gallas, though, Madrid and Barcelona remain the reference points. Arsenal are writing a new chapter; the Spanish giants, in his view, still own the book.
Arteta Manages His Defensive Jewel
While the debate over status and history rumbles on, Arteta’s focus is more immediate: keeping his defensive lynchpin fit and firing.
Saliba was named on the bench but remained unused in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday, a clear sign of a cautious approach from the manager. After the back injury that derailed Arsenal’s run-in two seasons ago, Arteta knows the cost of pushing his centre-back too hard.
The Spaniard is managing minutes, not narratives. He needs Saliba on the pitch in the months that decide titles and deep European runs, not just for marquee midweek occasions.
For now, Saliba is tied to Arsenal until 2030, central to their plans and adored by a fanbase that sees him as the defensive cornerstone of a new era.
But as Gallas reminds everyone, there is always a bigger stage, a brighter spotlight, a club whose name alone changes the conversation. If Real Madrid ever test Arsenal’s resolve – and Saliba’s – we will discover just how powerful that pull still is.
