Arsenal handed fresh William Saliba transfer exit concern amid major Real Madrid injury setback

William Saliba is one of Mikel Arteta's most important players at Arsenal. The wheels of the Gunners' Premier League title bid in 2022/23 came off when Saliba was missing from the first team.

He has been one of the standout centre-backs in the Premier League since being given his opportunity under Arteta in 2022, having initially looked like he might struggle to make it into the Spaniard's plans at the Emirates Stadium.

His partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes is widely considered to be the best in the top flight, with the Gunners enjoying the best defensive record in the 2023/24 campaign.

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That form will undoubtedly lead to clubs taking an interest in Saliba. And that was the case this summer, when there were rumours of Real Madrid being keen on signing him.

Reports had suggested that Los Blancos had made contact with Saliba's representatives over a potential move to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2025. Arsenal have no interest in selling the Frenchman, who has a contract in north London until 2027, with the defender also happy at the club.

However, Arsenal may have no choice but to listen to Real Madrid make an offer for the centre-back, and that offer could come as soon as the January transfer window now.

That is because Eder Militao has been ruled out for the rest of the season, after suffering a horror ACL injury during Real Madrid's win over Osasuna on Saturday. A statement from Madrid said Militao "had suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament with involvement of both menisci in his right leg".

Militao is a mainstay of the Madrid backline and without him, Carlo Ancelotti may well look at replacing him in the winter window.