Arsenal have been a team transformed ever since William Saliba stepped into the first team at the start of the 2022/23 season, but they're now at risk of losing the Frenchman for free in the near future.
Last term, Saliba became the first Arsenal player since Lee Dixon in 1989/90 to play in every single minute of a league campaign, and alongside Gabriel he has helped the Gunners put in excellent defensive displays on a near-constant basis.
But while he cost £27m in 2019 in what now seems a bargain deal, Arsenal might not even make a profit on the Frenchman as the end of his contract nears.
Arsenal at risk of losing William Saliba for nothing
According to French outlet RMC Sport, Real Madrid are prioritising the signing of Saliba in the summer to bolster their defence and add even more quality to their stacked squad. Arsenal, though, are expected to block any transfer for Saliba, viewing the Frenchman as the best defender in the world.
It's expected that it would require at least a nine-figure fee for Real Madrid to sign Saliba, making him the most expensive defender in history.
If Arsenal do hold strong on an extortionate price - or simply not allowing Saliba to leave whatsoever - then they do however face losing the 23-year-old for free in just two years' time.
With his current contract running until 2027, there's no guarantee that Saliba will extend his deal to keep him at the Emirates for longer, especially when the allure of Real Madrid is in sight, too.
Los Blancos have taken advantage of free transfers perfectly in recent seasons, with Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and Kylian Mbappe all moving to the Spanish capital for nothing (albeit the players did receive hefty signing-on fees, bonuses and wages).
Trent Alexander-Arnold looks set to become the latest player convinced to run down his contract ahead of joining Real Madrid on a free transfer, with Saliba another potential name to add to that increasingly impressive list. The centre-back is reportedly no closer to putting pen to paper on a new deal with Arsenal, with plenty of twists and turns set to come in this saga in the coming years.
In FourFourTwo's view, Saliba deserves to be one of the best-paid defenders in world football and, considering his age, he could easily continue developing to become an even better player over the coming two years. He's therefore well within his right to wait and assess his options regarding a contract extension.
If Arsenal do receive a nine-figure offer for Saliba in the summer then that would be difficult to turn down, though. Replacing him is nigh-on impossible, but that much money would help add real quality in multiple areas of the pitch.
Saliba is valued at £66.5m by Transfermarkt.
