One of ArsenalKey players in the first team have now had positive talks about a move real madridAccording to a report.
Arsenal is still chasing Liverpool
The Gunners continued their pursuit Premier League Yesterday evening, leaders Liverpool recorded a 3-1 win over Brentford, which is no mean feat considering how strong the Bees have been at home so far this season.
Lots of Mikel ArtetaThe team's success over the past few years can be attributed to their strong defensive record, with centre-back duo Gabriel and William Saliba looking solid again on Wednesday evening.
Arsenal has it now Joint best defensive record in the Premier Leaguehaving scored just 17 goals in the first half of the season, the same amount scored by title rival Liverpool.
As such, a strong defense is likely to be vital to the Gunners' chances of winning the Premier League, and Arteta will be hoping to retain both Gabriel and Saliba next January and beyond.
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Which is why new reports coming out of Spain could leave the Gunners boss a bit worried, it has been revealed Saliba has now held positive talks with European giant Real Madrid.
The La Liga side identified the Frenchman as one of their priority targets, so they examined the player's entourage and received a positive response.
Arsenal have no plans to sanction the 23-year-old's departure, given how important he is to the team, but they could be tempted to sell if a bid of up to €100m (£83m) is made.
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Arsenal's next matches in the English Premier League |
date |
|
Brighton & Hove Albion (away) |
January 4 |
|
Tottenham Hotspur (h) |
January 15 |
|
Aston Villa (h) |
January 18 |
|
Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) |
January 25 |
|
Manchester City (h) |
February 2 |
Real Madrid is keen for Saliba to submit a transfer request in order to facilitate the move to the Bernabéu, but it appears that the talks are still at a very early stage, and there is no indication that he will move anytime soon, especially since his contract runs until 2027.
Saliba must stay at Arsenal at all costs
It will be worrying that the defender has held talks with Madrid, but there are no signs that he has any plans to leave Arsenal in the near future, and a successful second half of the season could convince him to stay.
Micah Richards was full of praise for both Saliba and Gabriel after the 2-2 draw against Arsenal earlier this season:
The France international is one of the first names on the squad list, and it will be very difficult to find a replacement, so even if a huge bid comes in, Arsenal must hold on.
At the moment, the Gunners are in a strong negotiating position, given that the centre-back is under contract until 2027, and they should reject any offers made by Real Madrid, as long as he remains happy to stay at the Emirates Stadium.