Former France captain Marcel Desailly believes Arsenal defender William Saliba is destined to play for Real Madrid one day, describing the Spanish giants as the natural destination for the world’s best players while insisting any move should not happen in the immediate future.
The former Chelsea and AC Milan defender made the comments after praising Saliba’s remarkable rise over the past three seasons, during which the France international has established himself as one of Europe’s elite centre-backs under Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Speaking to Sportscasting, Desailly said he expects Saliba to eventually wear the famous white shirt of Real Madrid, although he stressed the 25-year-old remains fully committed to Arsenal.
He said: “Yes, yes. I do expect William Saliba to one day wear the colours of Real Madrid,” he said. “He’s committed to Arsenal for the next, I don’t know, four years.
“But he’s young, so why not? The door is open, and all the best players want to play for Real Madrid at some point in their careers.
“The door is open. But not now. Not now. He is the best central defender, so it is what it is today.”
The praise marks a significant shift in Desailly’s assessment of his fellow Frenchman. Earlier this year, the World Cup-winning defender publicly admitted he had underestimated Saliba’s potential, apologising for previous criticism and acknowledging that the Arsenal star had exceeded his expectations by becoming a world-class performer.
Saliba has become one of the first names on Arteta’s Arsenal team sheet since breaking into Arsenal’s starting XI, forming a formidable partnership in central defence and playing a key role in the club’s recent domestic success.
While Desailly believes a future switch to the Santiago Bernabéu is a realistic possibility, his comments suggest that any such move remains a long-term prospect rather than an immediate transfer priority, with Saliba expected to continue leading Arsenal’s defence for the foreseeable future
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