Real Madrid have three centre-backs in mind but William Saliba was never one of them

William Saliba staying at Arsenal amid curiosity from Actual Madrid wasn’t a shock – they do not roll out the crimson carpet for defenders.

That’s the verdict from European soccer broadcaster Andy Brassell, who believes three different centre-backs are higher worth for cash.

Los Blancos supervisor Xabi Alonso made revamping the membership’s defence his major goal within the switch market final summer time.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Álvaro Carreras all arrived in Spain, however one other centre-back stays excessive on the want listing.

Studies in Saliba’s homeland emerged earlier this 12 months that the Frenchman was a precedence goal for Actual Madrid.

Nevertheless, the 24-year-old ended the controversy surrounding his long-term future by signing a brand new contract with Arsenal late final month.

When requested if that information got here as a shock to these in Madrid, Brassell advised talkSPORT.com: “Properly, if we glance traditionally on the type of gamers that the crimson carpet’s actually rolled out for, it is not defenders – Nevertheless good they’re.

“I keep in mind Patrick Vieira nearly went to Actual Madrid in 2004, and he rotated afterwards and stated, his coronary heart made him keep at Arsenal.

“I feel the truth that Florentino Perez stated to him he wasn’t going to pay him on the identical stage because the Galacticos in all probability performed into it as nicely.

“I am not accusing Vieira of any avarice or something like that, however with soccer, it is by no means actually simply in regards to the cash. It is in regards to the respect that that cash implies. And clearly, that was one thing that he could not recover from.

“He in all probability regarded and thought, nicely, yeah, okay, I might be the subsequent Claude Makélélé, however not in a great way — undervalued, underappreciated by the folks within the boardroom.

“Clearly, Makélélé was liked by his teammates, however did not really feel as if he was getting sufficient love from the board. And that is what actually provoked his transfer to Chelsea.

“However the Saliba factor is, it is not a large shock.”

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Saliba to Actual Madrid hyperlink overplayed

Upon signing his new Arsenal deal, Saliba admitted he feels the membership are well-placed to push on, which was a key think about him staying.

Brassell added: “It isn’t a large shock. One, as a result of he is been doing nice at Arsenal.

“Two, as a result of it at all times sort of felt that the curiosity, to what extent it was agency curiosity, I am not fairly certain.

“I sense that Saliba’s brokers have been thickening it up a bit to speed up negotiations with Arsenal.

“However extra lately, the explanation that Saliba to Actual Madrid hasn’t appeared like a goer is due to the freebies which might be in the marketplace going ahead.”

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Actual Madrid goal Guehi, Upamecano and Konate on free transfers

The La Liga giants have recognized a trio of defensive reinforcements, with Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba within the remaining 12 months of their offers.

The pair have been each success tales of Madrid’s free agent technique, which additionally noticed them lastly land Kylian Mbappe.

All of it however paid dividends of their pursuit of Alexander-Arnold as nicely, albeit the membership ended up paying an £8.4million price to get him early.

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His former Liverpool teammate, Ibrahima Konate, might now comply with him to the Bernabeu to link-up with one other shut buddy, Mbappe.

The defender has entered the ultimate 12 months of his deal at Anfield and might signal a pre-contract settlement with abroad golf equipment in January.

Mockingly, Marc Guehi, who noticed a £35m swap to Liverpool fall by way of on deadline day, has been named one other Madrid goal.

Crystal Palace supervisor Oliver Glasner has admitted the England star will depart the membership after deciding to not renew his contract, which expires in June 2026.

Konate’s compatriot Dayot Upamecano has additionally caught Madrid’s consideration resulting from his related contract state of affairs at Bayern Munich.

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Madrid wishlist higher worth for cash

“I wrestle to consider all three as a result of I feel we have a look at Actual Madrid’s wage invoice and so they’ve introduced it down considerably within the final 5 to 6 years,” Brassell continued.

“There are some large earners who’ve left, and so they’ve set limits on what they wanna pay folks. In fact, Kylian Mbappe took a pay minimize to go to Actual Madrid.

“I feel in the event you might take, say, even two of these three, of Guehi, Upamecano and Konate, why would you exit and interact in a extremely robust switch battle with Arsenal?

“You simply would not do it, would you? I feel you are getting higher worth for cash elsewhere, and worth for cash truly actually issues to Actual Madrid within the fashionable world.”