William Saliba has provided a significant boost to Arsenal by committing his long-term future to the club, despite Real Madrid’s strong interest in making him their top summer target.

The 23-year-old French center-back, who joined Arsenal for £27 million from Saint-Etienne in 2019, expressed his happiness at the Emirates, saying, “I feel at home here. I’m enjoying everything — the players, staff, and fans.” When asked if he envisions staying at Arsenal for the long term, Saliba confidently responded, “Yeah, of course.”

Since signing, Saliba had three loan spells at Saint-Etienne, Nice, and Marseille but has since flourished under Mikel Arteta, making 102 appearances and establishing himself as one of the world’s top defenders. A boyhood Arsenal fan, he signed a new four-year contract last summer, solidifying his place at the club.

However, Real Madrid, grappling with a defensive injury crisis, remains keen, with former Bernabeu defender Rafael Alkorta publicly endorsing Saliba as a dream signing.

Meanwhile, Arsenal aims to narrow the gap to league leaders Liverpool with a win over Fulham on Sunday. Defensive concerns linger as Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori face fitness tests, while Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain sidelined. Fulham, however, will be without loanee Reiss Nelson, who cannot play against his parent club.