Arsenal’s Genius Plan To Keep Saliba Away From Real Madrid Revealed

Arsenal have firmly shut the door on any potential move for William Saliba this summer, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealing that Real Madrid have already accepted defeat in their pursuit of the French defender.

Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, provided a crucial update on the situation, confirming that Saliba is considered untouchable by Arsenal and that talks over a new contract are already underway. “My information is that Real Madrid understood at the beginning of May that [signing] William Saliba this summer was IMPOSSIBLE,” Romano stated. “For Arsenal, he is a crucial player and they are discussing a new contract.”

The update will come as a huge relief to Arsenal fans, who have watched Saliba emerge as one of the most commanding centre-backs in world football under Mikel Arteta. His composure, ball-playing ability and defensive presence have been central to Arsenal’s recent success, and it’s no surprise that Real Madrid had marked him as a dream target for their future.

But according to Romano, Madrid have accepted that a move is not realistic this summer. “Real Madrid’s position is clear — they will sign Dean Huijsen now, but Saliba remains a dream target for them,” Romano added. That statement indicates Los Blancos are shifting their focus elsewhere for now, but they still admire the Arsenal man deeply.

Arsenal’s stance is clear: they want to keep Saliba long-term and reward him with a contract that reflects his growing status in world football. Talks are already progressing behind the scenes to extend his current deal, and the Gunners are confident that the player sees his future in North London.

Saliba, who joined Arsenal from Saint-Étienne in 2019, has grown into one of the most important figures in Arteta’s setup. After loan spells in France, he returned to the Emirates and immediately cemented himself as a first-choice centre-back alongside Gabriel Magalhães. His absence during the run-in of the 2022/23 season was widely viewed as a major blow to Arsenal’s title hopes, underlining just how indispensable he has become.

This strong commitment to keeping Saliba also sends a powerful message to other top European clubs: Arsenal are no longer a selling club. Under Arteta’s guidance, they are building to challenge consistently at the highest level, and retaining their core players is fundamental to that mission.

With Real Madrid stepping back — for now — the ball is in Arsenal’s court to finalise Saliba’s extension and secure the long-term future of one of their most valuable assets. The message from North London is clear: William Saliba is going nowhere.