Inside scoop

Cruciate Ligament Tear: Arsenal are confident their strong defensive backline, which they have curated under Mikel Arteta’s tenure as head coach, will remain intact after reports suggested that Real Madrid are showing heavy interest in procuring the services of William Saliba.

William Saliba, who has made his case for being one of the top defenders in Europe, has no intentions of leaving Arsenal, especially after he signed a four-year contract extension in 2023, according to a report by British outlet Daily Express.

Real Madrid are currently heavily depleted, with recurring injuries seeming to be the theme of the season. Apart from the side having suffered the absence of both Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe for a short period of time, they lack serious depth in defence.