Arsenal have confirmed that William Saliba's back injury will not require surgery in what is a major boost to the Premier League champions.
Saliba limped out of France's semi-final defeat to Spain and initial reports suggested he could miss the opening months of Arsenal's Premier League defence. The injury was similar to the one he suffered three years ago at the back end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Club Statement on Saliba's Injury
Initial reports suggested surgery would be needed, leading to months on the sidelines. Arsenal have given no timeline for when the centre-half would return but confirmed that a "period of rehabilitation" would begin now that they have been able to assess him.
A club statement read: "William Saliba has returned to us from World Cup duty, where he played an integral role in France reaching the semi-finals of the competition. Subsequent specialist reviews on William’s return to London this week have confirmed that he has suffered a back injury which will require a period of rehabilitation.
"Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme."
"William’s rehabilitation will commence immediately, with continual management of his injury, and he is expected to be out of action for an extended period. Everyone is fully focused on supporting William to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible."
Injury Background
France boss Didier Deschamps claimed after their semi-final loss that Saliba's pain had become "unbearable". He also stated that Saliba had been dealing with the injury since March.
Speaking before the World Cup he said: “I’ve had some minor niggles for several months. I’ve been gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League. But the coaching staff are handling it very well. The World Cup comes around only once every four years, so you’ve got to grit your teeth. I’m not at 100 percent, but there are plenty of players who aren’t at 100 per cent either. You can’t make excuses.”
Impact on Arsenal
Inside the first ten games of the season Arsenal will travel to Aston Villa and Liverpool whilst they also host London rivals Chelsea as they bid to get off to a fast start. Over the past decade Manchester City are the only side to retain their Premier League title.
In recent years Saliba has formed a centre-half partnership with Gabriel that is regarded as the best in Europe. It has formed the foundation of Arsenal's success as they finally ended their 22-year wait for a top flight title and made the Champions League final.
