Real Madrid transfers: William Saliba-Ibrahima Konate pairing in the making as Arsenal defender wants new challenge?

To the shock of Real Madrid, Arsenal have set a price tag on their ace defender in case they are to part ways. According to reports, the French centre-back will be available in the market for €80 million and Real Madrid are reportedly shocked by the lack of far-sightedness and market awareness of those calling the shots at the Emirates Stadium. Earlier reports had claimed that Real Madrid were willing to pay up to €100 million to bring him to the Santiago Bernabéu.

24-year-old Saliba is among the finest defenders in Europe and is often praised for standing up against even the best strikers in the world. He is often the first name in Mikel Arteta's charts on matchdays and the Spanish gaffer was unwilling to let him go at any cost when the initial rumours about Real Madrid wanting him appeared. According to recent reports, Real Madrid are working as a priority to sign Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool but Saliba along with Tottenham's Micky van de Ven remain the other names in their notebook.

While €80 million is too low to be Saliba's price, Real Madrid are well aware that they will have to pay a much higher price if they are to sign him, TeamTalk said in a report. He signed a new four-year contract in July 2023 and will remain in north London until the summer of 2027. Arsenal will soon begin a fresh round of contract extension talks with him in the hope of making him stay for another four or five years. Arsenal paid St. Étienne €30 million for the Frenchman in 2019. He had loan spells at Nice and Olympique Marseille before becoming a regular starter at the Emirates.

Meanwhile, football journalist Fabrizio Romano has reportedly said that Saliba has rejected the initial renewal offer set forth by the Gunners. It was not immediately known if it was the figures involved that made him reject the deal or if the Real Madrid offer looming on the horizon has forced him to stall signing a new deal. According to Spanish media outlets ElDesmarque, Real went after Konate because he was set to become a free agent a year before Saliba.

That doesn't mean they have dropped the Saliba project. William Saliba is willing to set out on a new challenge and Real Madrid are eager to make the most of the opportunity, it added. If that happens, the Los Blancos will have Dean Huijsen, Konate and Saliba to choose from -- all young, fast and technically flawless centre-backs.