Arsenal star willing to make ‘financial sacrifice’ to join Real Madrid as ‘operation underway’…

Arsenal star willing to make a ‘financial sacrifice’ to join Real Madrid as the ‘operation is already in progress’.

Arsenal player William Saliba is prepared to make a ‘financial sacrifice’ to move to Real Madrid as Xabi Alonso’s centre-back ‘operation is currently underway’.

The Gunners have acquired Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Christian Norgaard for a total of £123m this summer and have finalized a £55m agreement with Sporting for Viktor Gyokeres, whose medical is scheduled for this week prior to his transfer to the Emirates.

Centre-back Cristhian Mosquera is expected to be announced as their sixth summer signing after Arsenal reached a deal with Valencia for his £17m transfer, with the 21-year-old set to head to Singapore to join the Gunners squad and complete his medical.

Sporting director Andrea Berta is also focusing on player sales, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, and Albert Sambi Lokonga among those listed for transfer, but he may not be pleased with Madrid’s increasing interest in Saliba.

The La Liga giants have been associated with the Frenchman for a while, and Alonso’s appointment has reinforced their determination to enhance their defensive options, especially with the futures of David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger uncertain.

Saliba is one of two primary targets for Los Blancos, alongside Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, and both players are eager for a move to the Bernabeu, as reported by Spanish outlet Marca.

The report acknowledges that pursuing Konate would be the easiest route for Madrid since his contract expires next summer, and Liverpool ‘do not wish to let a player of that caliber leave without compensation’, especially after Trent Alexander-Arnold allowed his contract to run down to make a similar move this summer.

It is reported that the Liverpool management suspects that ‘the leaders of the Madrid entity have already completed the groundwork’ to secure Konate at the conclusion of the upcoming season, and this belief has ‘some basis in reality’, but ‘the question remains whether they will wait or take action this summer’.

It is asserted that ‘Saliba has no connection to Konate’, which we interpret to mean that Madrid could pursue both players instead of choosing just one.

Arsenal has been attempting to secure Saliba with a new contract, as his existing agreement is set to expire in 2027, yet there have been no updates indicating any progress.

Furthermore, the report indicates that he would be prepared ‘to make a financial sacrifice’ to join Madrid – meaning he would accept a pay cut – although ‘the defender expressed a desire to spend one more year’ at the Emirates prior to making the transition.

‘Concerns have increased’ regarding the adequacy of Alonso’s current selection of centre-backs following the Club World Cup, where new acquisition Dean Huijsen stood out while Raul Asencio and Rudiger faced challenges, and this tournament has also heightened Madrid’s ‘interest in signing Saliba’.