Surprise Transfer, Florentino Wants the Best in the Premier This Summer and It's Not Arnold

Several players have been on Real Madrid's radar, but very few have managed to stay. Despite the evident interest in Alexander-Arnold, Florentino Pérez has focused on a higher-quality star from the Premier League. The player, aside from his excellent performance, fits the youthful profile the president is so keen on.

William Saliba is the star Florentino is looking to transfer for the next summer market. The player has performed well at Arsenal, where he has established himself as an excellent central defender. Given Real Madrid's need to renew its defense, the club sees Saliba as the perfect reinforcement.

However, the operation to get his services will be extremely complicated to finalize. Being a key piece for Arsenal and still under contract, his departure could only happen with a very succulent offer for the English.

The best central defender in the Premier League

After several loans before settling at Arsenal, Saliba became a pillar for the team. Since his return in 2022, the Frenchman has managed to establish himself as a key player for Mikel Arteta. The 2,325 minutes he has played this season demonstrate why he is the best central defender in the Premier League. 

Despite having a contract until 2027, Saliba has been sought after by several clubs in past seasons. PSG was one of the most well-known clubs, making a 95 million euro offer that Arsenal ultimately rejected.

Because of this, Real Madrid knows that to finalize this transfer, they must be willing to shell out more than 100 million. An amount that would set a record but would give the team the center-back they've been searching for so long. 

The transfer for next summer

Complications in achieving this transfer in January have led to the operation for Saliba being carried out next summer. This will provide Real Madrid with enough time to monitor the center-back's progress and decide on the offer to secure his transfer.