Arsenal have confirmed that William Saliba will be sidelined for an extended period after suffering a back injury during France’s World Cup campaign, dealing a significant blow to the club’s hopes of defending their Premier League title.
The 25-year-old defender started six of France’s eight games at the tournament before being forced off just 30 minutes into their semi-final defeat to Spain on July 14, replaced by Maxence Lacroix. He was subsequently unavailable for France’s third-place playoff against England.
Following his return to London, specialist assessments concluded that surgery was not required, though Saliba will now need to undergo a managed rehabilitation programme. In their statement, Arsenal said his recovery would begin immediately, with the club continuing to monitor his progress closely.
France manager Didier Deschamps later revealed that Saliba had actually been carrying the injury since March, playing through significant pain to help his country reach the semi-finals.
While no firm return date has been given, the timing is a concern for Arsenal, who open their Premier League title defence against newly promoted Coventry City on August 21. Manager Mikel Arteta will now have to plan for the start of the season without one of his most influential defenders.
