William Saliba has started running for the first time in his recovery from injury and is aiming to return to competitive action with Arsenal in November.
Arsenal announced in July that Saliba would be sidelined for an 'extended period' after the defender returned from France's World Cup campaign with a back problem. The issue arose after he lasted only 30 minutes of Les Bleus' semi-final exit against Spain, who went on to win the tournament.
Recovery progress and cautious approach
There were initial fears that Saliba might need surgery, but Arsenal confirmed this was not the case. Instead, the 25-year-old required a long 'period of rehabilitation' to bring him back up to speed.
The injury means Saliba has yet to feature for Arsenal this season. Summer signing Ezri Konsa has played a prominent role in his place, starting the champions' last three Premier League matches alongside Gabriel Magalhaes.
According to L'Equipe, Saliba took painkillers to help him through much of the end of last season and the World Cup, and was often unable to move freely for between 24-48 hours after matches. It is claimed he has been receiving daily treatment and massages, while undergoing physical work with physiotherapists on a daily basis at Arsenal, who have taken a cautious approach with his rehabilitation.
Targeting a November comeback
'He knows he has to take his time,' Saliba's entourage told the French newspaper. 'He's suffered too much and wants to come back at 100 per cent.'
The report adds that Saliba has now swapped cycling for running, and his long-awaited first-team comeback will ultimately depend on how his body reacts in the coming weeks. But the former Saint-Etienne man is said to be targeting a November return if he continues on the same trajectory.
He is currently making the most of the international break, leaving London to enjoy a few days of rest in Ile-de-France, a region in north-central France.
When asked for an update on Saliba's progress in the summer, Mikel Arteta encouraged Arsenal fans to be patient in order for the Frenchman to 'heal' properly.
'He is in rest mode at the moment,' the Arsenal head coach told reporters at the time. 'He had to do almost nothing, an aggravated injury, so it's going to take some time to heal. We know that. As soon as we have more news, we can inform you.'
Saliba's Arsenal career so far
Saliba has made a total of 184 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal since arriving at the Emirates in 2019. In that time, he has won a Premier League title and two Community Shields, while also picking up runners-up medals in both the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
The France international has been included in the PFA Team of the Year in each of the last four seasons and has twice been named amongst the Ballon d'Or nominees.
