Arsenal have been warned that William Saliba would jump at the chance to join Real Madrid, with the centre-back still attracting significant interest despite being yet to play this season due to injury.

The 25-year-old French international played a leading role in helping Mikel Arteta’s side to lift the Premier League title last season, and Arsenal will hope he has a similar impact this term.

TEAMtalk revealed earlier this week that the Gunners are confident that Saliba could return to the fold this month, with his rehabilitation from a chronic back problem going better than expected.

However, ex-Arsenal defender William Gallas believes that if Real Madrid were to come in for Gallas, then he would be very interested in taking on that challenge.

“Are Arsenal at a high enough level now that William Saliba would turn down Real Madrid if they came in for him?” Gallas said, speaking to SeatPick.

“I know a lot of people will be mad about what I’m going to say right now but if we are talking about the history of both clubs, Real Madrid and Arsenal, then Real Madrid is Real Madrid. They are on a different level.

“The pressure is bigger there. The atmosphere around the club is different. Every game, the fans expect you to win. Every game, the fans expect you to have a great performance. Every season, the fans expect you to win La Liga or to win the Champions League, so it’s a different level.

Arsenal still ‘behind’ Real Madrid as Saliba claim made

While Arsenal enjoyed tremendous success last season, winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final, Gallas still thinks that Real Madrid is a more appealing destination for players.

“For me, even if their performances at the moment are not the best, and even if they haven’t won the biggest trophies recently, Madrid is Madrid, and I’m telling you, any player who has the opportunity to go to Madrid, they will try to go there, and you can’t blame them. You couldn’t blame a player like Saliba if that is his decision,” Gallas added.

“How many clubs are there who are really at the very top, on the roof? You know, you’ve got Barcelona, you’ve got Real Madrid, and then you’ve now got PSG because they have won the Champions League two times in a row. They have shown everyone that they are the best club in Europe right now.

“Arsenal and Manchester United? They are still behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, even Manchester United still to this day because they have such a big history. I know over the last few years they have not looked the same.

“When Sir Alex Ferguson was there, it was completely different. I remember in 1996, 1997, 1998 I used to watch Manchester United play and they were at the top. They were on the roof. Manchester United was so big, so strong, but now it’s completely different.

“That’s why I think now with clubs like Arsenal, even if they had a good history in the past, what they are doing right now is rebuilding. They are trying to tell their story again, and they are on the right track, but they are still behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.”