Arsenal take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final and William Saliba is set to feature as the La Liga giants continue to be a source of admiration
Arsenal defender William Saliba has been warned over the pitfalls of a possible transfer to Real Madrid. Los Blancos have widely been credited with interest in the Frenchman and are even said to have been in contact with his camp over a possible move.
But former Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Petit has urged caution from both Saliba and Arsenal over coming to any agreement. Petit has warned his countryman he would face a blank slate and have the difficult task of winning over the Madristas.
Saliba is set to face Real Madrid in the second leg of the pair’s Champions League quarter-final clash having helped his side keep a clean sheet against the La Liga giants a week ago. The 24-year-old will hope to produce a similarly stingy performance on Wednesday night as Mikel Arteta’s team defend a three-goal lead.
The France international is said to be on Real Madrid’s transfer list for the summer of 2026, despite confirming his hope to become an Arsenal legend. And Petit believes the north London side would be foolish to consider selling a key member of their spine as they bid to add more talent to their squad.
Drawing upon his own experience of leaving Arsenal for a La Liga giant, Petit has advised Saliba to exercise caution if he is considering a move to the Bernabeu. The pundit suggested the move might not pay off.
READ MORE: Arsenal already have wonderkid in their ranks who is tipped to ‘be better than Lamine Yamal’READ MORE: Mikel Arteta sends message to Arsenal stars after Carlo Ancelotti makes ‘balls’ jibe
“William Saliba is enjoying his time at Arsenal so far,” Petit told Standard Sport. “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?”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports launches discounted Premier League package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
