Could Asencio’s rise deter Real Madrid’s pursuit of William Saliba? | OneFootball

Should Arsenal fans thank Raul Asencio’s Real Madrid resurgence in their bid to keep hold of William Saliba?

William Saliba has been nothing short of brilliant for Arsenal. Since returning to the Emirates Stadium in 2022, he hasn’t looked back. A season-ending injury at the tail end of the 2022-23 campaign may have briefly held him back, but since his return in the 2023-24 season, he’s soared alongside Gabriel Magalhães.

Let’s not mince words—Saliba is one of the finest defenders in European football.

Naturally, a player of his calibre attracts interest, and Real Madrid are one of the clubs reportedly keen on signing him. Back in February, Sky Suisse claimed that the Spanish giants had held talks with his entourage and were willing to break the bank to sign the Frenchman.

A lot has changed since then, but you’d still imagine Real Madrid would jump at the chance to secure Saliba.

However, would they risk disrupting Raul Asencio’s progression by bringing in Saliba, especially since Saliba, like Asencio, is naturally a right-sided centre-back (RCB)?

Defensive injuries earlier in the season forced Real Madrid to promote Asencio from their youth team. Given the opportunity to prove himself in La Liga and the Champions League, the young defender has seized it with both hands and impressed.

Álvaro Benito: “Raúl Asencio is an absolute reality. He never gets disorganized.” Ángel Rivero

Asencio has featured in 29 games for Los Blancos this season, gradually cementing his place in the team. He has started 11 of Real Madrid’s last 12 matches and has been such a revelation that he earned a national team call-up for Spain’s FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers during this March international break.

He’s set to be offered a new contract at the Santiago Bernabéu, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. Surely, this indicates that Real Madrid already view him as a key part of their squad.

While Real Madrid are still keen to strengthen their defence this summer, wouldn’t they be more likely to look for his partner (someone capable of playing as a left-sided centre-back)?

According to Marca, Real Madrid’s defensive targets include Dean Huijsen (comfortable playing both LCB and RCB), Jorrel Hato (LCB), Ibrahima Konaté (RCB), Castello Lukeba (LCB), and Saliba (LCB).

Dean Huijsen is believed to be their top target, largely due to his reasonable £50 million release clause.

As for Konaté and Saliba, they seem less of a perfect fit for what Real Madrid’s squad truly needs. Furthermore, with Saliba under contract at Arsenal until 2027, he would be far more challenging to acquire.

Why, then, would Real Madrid break the bank for a player who isn’t an ideal fit for their requirements? It’s obvious they need an LCB.

What are your thoughts Gooners?

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