William Saliba injury: Progress & potential return date for Arsenal star
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While Arsenal have enjoyed a season few of their fans expected, it has not been without its injury hitches and they have a serious one now.
William Saliba has been one of the key components of Mikel Arteta’s side this season but there are serious fears he may not play another game in 2022/23.
The French defender is a big part of the reason why Arsenal hold a slim advantage over current Premier League champions Manchester City in the title race.
Here is what we know so far about Saliba’s injury and when he may come back.
Read the latest Arsenal news hereWhat injury does William Saliba have?
Saliba is currently struggling with a back problem. The specifics are not yet known but it is an area that can be incredibly slow to heal in comparison to other parts of the body.
He picked up the problem when Arsenal faced Sporting CP in the Europa League. To add insult to injury, the Gunners were knocked out that night at the Emirates against the odds in a penalty shootout.
The former Saint-Etienne defender has already missed four Arsenal games since he picked up the injury but there has been an air of mystery around when he may return. Saliba has been a mainstay at the back for Arsenal this season at just 22 years of age alongside Gabriel Magalhaes. He has featured in 33 games, showing how much Arteta values him.
Rob Holding has been filling in for Saliba but it is no secret that fans of the Gunners would much rather see Saliba in the backline.
When will William Saliba return?
Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, there is a very real chance that the French defender is now done for the season. Players cannot really be rushed back from back injuries and the reluctance from the club to provide a timeframe is concerning.
Arteta was asked about the injury during his press conference on Thursday and did give a timeframe, sounding very pessimistic about Saliba’s chances of a quick return to the Arsenal backline.
“With William we have to wait a little bit more,” the Arsenal manager said. “He is not progressing as quickly as we had hoped. It is a bit delicate. We want to be very certain when we push him that he is ready to absorb the load and with the risk we would take at the moment that is not possible to do.”
When pushed on whether Saliba will feature again this season, Arteta said: “I don’t know, it’s a bit early to do [predictions]. Probably next week we are going to have more certainty.
“There is some evolution, he is doing more activity, but he is not there yet to start to throw him on the pitch at the level that the sessions demand to compete in this league.”
Arsenal’s record without William Saliba
Saliba has been injured or left on the bench for nine of Arsenal’s games across all competitions this season.
The Gunners have mainly been able to cope without him, not losing without Saliba throughout the 2022/23 season so far, though the calibre of opposition is certainly worth taking into account.
LISTEN NOW
On this edition of The Chronicles of a Gooner, part of the 90min podcast network, Harry Symeou discusses the recent links to Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, the latest on William Saliba’s fitness. If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!