William Saliba injury news: New Arsenal statement after “specialist” back review hints at how many games defender will miss

Football/Soccer

William Saliba injury news: New Arsenal statement after "specialist" back review hints at how many games defender will miss

By Lewis Nolan | 22 Jul 2026 23:58

Arsenal have confirmed that William Saliba will miss a prolonged period due to a back injury, but he will not undergo surgery.

Now that the World Cup is over, the Gunners will slowly welcome back the rest of their squad for pre-season training, though not every player will arrive in the best health.

Centre-back Saliba was subbed off during France’s semi-final defeat to Spain earlier this month, and initial reports had suggested that he required surgery on a back issue.

However, Arsenal have confirmed that the 25-year-old will not undergo surgery, though they revealed he will miss a significant period, saying: “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.”

Arsenal will begin their Premier League campaign on August 21 against Coventry City, but they will also not be able to call upon Saliba for the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16.

William Saliba latest: How long will Mikel Arteta defender miss?

There were fears that Saliba would be forced to sit on the sidelines until the new year had he required surgery, though Mikel Arteta will still not be pleased by the defender’s diagnosis.

Arsenal have not confirmed an exact timeline on when the 25-year-old will return, but given they have indicated the injury is significant, it seems unlikely that he has suffered a Grade 2 injury, which would require three to six weeks out.

Saliba is more likely to have suffered a Grade 3 injury, which could mean the centre-back is dealing with herniated discs, nerve impingements or even a spinal fracture.

ARSENAL FIXTURE LIST UNTIL OCTOBER 31

August

21: Coventry City (H)

29: Aston Villa (A)

September

6: Chelsea (H)

12: Sunderland (A)

19: Brighton & Hove Albion (A)

October

10: Leeds United (H)

17: Nottingham Forest (A)

24: Everton (H)

31: Liverpool (A)

A fortunate outcome would therefore be an absence of six to twelve weeks, but that timeframe may be even longer depending on how the defender responds to specialised therapy.

The Gunners play nine Premier League games before the end of October, including against Liverpool at Anfield and Aston Villa at Villa Park, and Saliba’s absence could prove decisive.

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It is understandable that many Arsenal fans are concerned ahead of 2026-27 given Saliba is not the only player heading into next season with injury worries.

Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka notably struggled with fitness during the World Cup, with the latter starting just three matches for England prior to the team’s third-placed playoff against France.

Centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes is also reportedly dealing with issues, and with so many key players struggling less than a month before the start of the new Premier League season, it is easy to see why so many supporters are worried.

Written by

Lewis Nolan