Andrea Berta ramps up talks to extend William Saliba’s Arsenal contract amid Real Madrid interest | OneFootball

Having worked at Atletico Madrid, Andrea Berta is aware of how Real Madrid operate. Now at Arsenal, the sporting director has recognised Los Blancos’ tactics in their pursuit of William Saliba (24). L’Équipe understands that Berta has reacted through initiating contract extension talks with the France international.

As reported by L’Équipe on Sunday, Real Madrid have been in talks with Saliba for several weeks. Berta is convinced that Real Madrid are trying to “plant the seed” in the player’s mind and to try and drag out the affair to get the centre-back at a cheaper price when his contract will have just one year remaining, or by signing him on a free transfer in the summer of 2027, upon the expiry of his contract. Kylian Mbappé joined the La Liga giants on a free last summer and Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to do the same in the coming weeks.

In order to prevent the same fate, Berta opened contract extension talks with Saliba several weeks ago and those exchanges have ramped up in recent days, L’Équipe understands.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle