Arsenal must prove that they can win the biggest prizes in football if they want to keep William Saliba at the club.
The French star is regarded as one of the best defenders in world football and has been identified as a top transfer target for Real Madrid next summer.
Saliba is one of the top defenders in world footballGetty
With Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and David Alaba at the club, Carlo Ancelotti is keen to add a more youthful option to his ranks who can be a defensive mainstay in the years to come.
Alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, Saliba has been one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers in a Gunners side who have come so close to Premier League glory in the last two seasons.
But with pressure building to win either the Premier League or Champions League, Tony Cascarino believes that Arsenal must now prove that they can match the 23-year-old’s ambitions or risk losing him to one of world football’s biggest clubs.
Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, Cascarino said: “There are vultures in football hanging over football clubs all the time and trying to take their best players.
“There’s no bigger vulture than Real Madrid – if they’re after you then there’s a good chance of it happening.
“It’s not only convincing the player, but the agents get involved and the lure of Real Madrid.
“Look, winning and being successful is a great way of keeping players, it really is.
“Arsenal have to achieve that because Saliba is playing to the level of being a Real Madrid player but he’s got to be convinced that Arsenal are going to be a successful and winning team.
“They need to be challenging to win the Champions League because that’s what Real Madrid do so often.”
“I think everyone is replaceable to a degree,” Cascarino added.
Carlo Ancelotti is keen to bring in a defender to add youth to an experienced back lineGetty
Saliba has made 92 appearances for Arsenal since joining the club in 2019Getty
“We’re talking about a super-high level and once Real Madrid are interested in you, you know that that’s the team who win the Champions League more often than not.
“When they’re after you, Arsenal have got a problem.
“He just signed a five-year deal around a year ago so they’ve got him tied down for a quite a while, but they might have to throw another new deal at him to try and keep him even longer.
“It’s going to be a problem but that’s great for Arsenal as a football club because it shows they’re being successful because a club like Real Madrid want one of their players.”
Arsenal are next in action on Saturday when they face Bournemouth on the south coast, with commentary exclusively live on talkSPORT.
