Real Madrid hatch Saliba transfer plan and eye two other Premier League stars

Arsenal and France star William Saliba remains at the top of Real Madrid's list as the Spanish club look to add reinforcements at centre-back during the summer transfer window

Arsenal face a battle to hang onto centre-back William Saliba, with Real Madrid making the defender their top target. The Spanish giants have long been admirers of the French international and are expected to step up their pursuit as thei look to rebound from a tough season.

Madrid are poised to go into the 2025-26 campaign with a new manager. Carlo Ancelotti is being tipped to take over as Brazil boss after a season which saw Los Blancos miss out on Champions League and Copa del Rey glory while currently sitting second in La Liga.

With Toni Rudiger and David Alaba out of contract in 2026, and with Eder Militao dealing with injury issues, the 2024 Champions League winners are looking to strengthen at the back. Saliba is their top target, but he's not the only Premier League star attracting interest.

According to Marca, Madrid will look towards one of Dean Huijsen or Manuel Akanji if they fail to land Saliba. Bournemouth and Spain centre-back Huijsen is understood to have a £50million release clause coming into force during the summer window, while Manchester City's Akanji is said to have been a target for Ancelotti specifically.

The same publication suggests the Spanish club are also eyeing up a Premier League pair in midfield amid a belief Martin Zubimendi will opt for Arsenal over Los Blancos. Newcastle's Sandro Tonali and Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister are the players in question, though both have been key figures for their current clubs this term and Madrid may face a fight to land them.

Saliba was a key part of the Arsenal side which beat Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final. Ancelotti's team bounced back from that European elimination with back-to-back league wins, but were beaten by fierce rivals Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.

Jules Kounde scored an extra-time winner for Barca, with Madrid centre-back Rudiger potentially facing a lengthy ban for throwing an object in the direction of the referee. The Catalan club also sit in pole positon to win La Liga, sitting four points clear with just five games remaining.

Saliba's Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the next round of the Champions League, with the first leg taking place on Tuesday night. Mikel Arteta's side came out on top in a league phase game between the sides, but Gunners captain Martin Odegaard expects a different challenge.

"It will be a different type of game from the last time we played, and also now we’re in the knockout stages, which changes the dynamic too," Odegaard told club media. "We can definitely use that win over them in October to our advantage though.

"I think you can always look back at previous meetings to see their patterns and how they want to play. Their style and everything will be similar, and it’s the same two coaches as when we last played. But the occasion is a completely different story now. It’s a semi-final, over two legs, when everything is on the line. We have to be ready for the test."