LATEST UPDATES LIVE : Arsenal ‘willing to finalise swap deal’ for £85m star if Real Madrid include £77m duo

Arsenal are ready to sanction William Saliba’s exit to Real Madrid but only if the La Liga side provide two players in return, according to reports.

The Frenchman has been in brilliant form over the past couple of seasons for the Gunners and has helped Arsenal consistently challenge at the top of the Premier League.

Saliba’s central defensive partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes – who was recently sidelined for the rest of the season by injury – has become one of, if not the best, in the Premier League.

And the France international’s performances have attracted interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid, who are their current opponents in the Champions League.

Arsenal won the first leg 3-0 and are in a great position to overcome Los Blancos and make it into the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2009.

Regardless, Real Madrid are keen on signing Saliba in the summer transfer window and it’s a transfer that Arsenal are reportedly coming around to.

Spanish website Defensa Central claim that Arsenal are now ‘willing to finalise a swap deal with Real Madrid for Saliba’ if the La Liga side ‘include two players in the deal’.

The report claims:

‘Arsenal want to keep Saliba, but if the player refuses to renew and puts the club between a rock and a hard place, knowing of Real Madrid’s interest, the English club would be open to negotiating for the French centre-back, whom they value at 100 million euros.

Real Madrid continues to target William Saliba. The problem is Arsenal’s stance and his high market value. However, his contract runs until June 30, 2027, which means the club is considering the option of signing him as a free agent. It’s a risky move, as the player has several suitors, but they believe it’s the best option.

‘If he withstands Arsenal’s pressure and doesn’t renew, Real Madrid could try to lower his transfer price in the summer of 2026, with one year left until his contract expires. This could lead the English club to lower its financial demands in order to profit from the departure of one of its stars. But for that, Saliba would have to be very convinced to make the move.’

Endrick signed in a deal worth a potential €60m (£51m) from Brazilian side Palmeiras in July 2024, while Guler left Fenerbahce for Real Madrid in a package worth €30m (£26m).

Emmanuel Petit has warned Saliba that “the grass is not really greener outside” if he decides to swap Arsenal for Real Madrid in the summer.

Petit told Standard Sport: “William Saliba is enjoying his time at Arsenal so far. He loves the way Arsenal plays and has become a different kind of player. He’s now with the France national team because of what he has done with Arsenal.

“If he goes to Real Madrid, it’s another story. It’s the same with Trent Alexander-Arnold. It’s one thing playing with Liverpool, where you have been loved by the fans for such a long time and won many trophies, but it’s a different story when you go to Real Madrid.

“I have experienced that. When I left Arsenal, I was loved by the fans. When I went to Barcelona, it was a blank page, a new story that I had to write. I had to forget what I had done in the past and deliver with a new club.

It will be the same with Saliba. I can understand that it could be a dream for a player to sign for the best club in the world. But the grass is not really greener outside.

“There’s been a lot of speculation in the last few months about Arsenal spending a lot of money, the next transfer market, signing strikers, wingers and I totally agree with that.

“But I’ve said many times recently, they have to be very aware of keeping their best players through the spine of the team if they want to improve, if they want to reach the next step. What does it mean if you bring top strikers in and then you lose your top defenders?”