Madrid is smart to get top players for free, like Mbappé and TAA, to save about €200M in fees and then spend that money on someone like Saliba, who will cost real money. Sad but reasonable things to say about Rodrygo. His numbers this season are good (12 goals, 8 assists), but with Mbappé locked in, Endrick coming in, and Bellingham moving up, he can't be sure of a spot. When Di María, Özil, and even Morata were all balled out, Madrid still got moved. Someone could spend €80M to €100M on Rodrygo, which would give Saliba or even Jorrel Hato money. Galácticos 3.0: a lot of skill turnover, no emotion, and a lot of drive
With this Arnold deal almost sealed, I certainly agree with you that Real Madrid should go for William Saliba. At this point, they've already gotten what they needed in terms of every position, and i heard that David Alaba might use the exit at the end of the season, which i think should be an opportunity to get a better replacement. William Saliba will certainly do well and strengthen the defense line when paired with Rudiger, but the big question is, will Saliba leave Arsenal. Arsenal are still very much in the UCL, and peradventure Arsenal wins the title, it will certainly affect Saliba's decision to stay at the club for a longer period, but if the reverse happens, then Real Madrid certainly have a chance.