William Saliba may be facing a prolonged absence due to a back injury that could require surgery, putting his participation at risk until December, according to sources close to Arsenal. The 25-year-old French centre-back sustained the injury during the World Cup semi-final against Spain, when less than 30 minutes had passed in the match.
Saliba revealed that he has been dealing with back pain since March, enduring the discomfort to help Arsenal in the Premier League and the French national team advance to the later stages of the World Cup. However, the pain became unbearable, and the player eventually succumbed on the pitch, informing his teammate Dayot Upamecano that his back was “dead,” as reported by the French newspaper L’Équipe. The same outlet states that, after months of controlled training and the use of painkillers, surgery is now the most likely option, a fact also confirmed by BBC Sport.
If surgery is necessary, Saliba could be sidelined for four to five months, which would leave Arsenal without their most important defender until the middle of the season. This situation presents Mikel Arteta with crucial decisions regarding the team's defensive stability.
The first strategy involves trusting the current squad. Arsenal has recorded one of the highest net investments among English clubs in the last three years, but cannot continue to spend indiscriminately, especially considering other positions that require reinforcement. Arteta already has experience managing the team without Saliba, who was absent for twelve matches last season due to ankle and back problems. During that period, Cristhian Mosquera took over as a starter, proving to be a promising solution.
Mosquera, a 22-year-old Spaniard, stood out in his first year in England, balancing his football career with an online university course in interior design. The combination of Saliba and Gabriel is based on a balance of characteristics: the Brazilian is more aggressive in attack, while the Frenchman is a more withdrawn defender, cleaning up plays behind his teammate. Mosquera also defends proactively, which could change Gabriel's style of play.
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Piero Hincapié and Riccardo Calafiori are other options in the squad, but both are left-footed, which limits defensive passing angles. In defensive midfield, Christian Nørgaard and Declan Rice have experience as centre-backs, but would be extreme choices. Ben White, who has played as a centre-back before being adapted to right-back, would be the most natural alternative, although he is also recovering from a knee injury that prevented him from playing in the World Cup.
If none of these solutions convince Arteta, Arsenal will have to look to the transfer market, where there are two options: a temporary reinforcement or a long-term investment. Ezri Konsa, the Aston Villa defender, represents the first option. The player, who will turn 29 this autumn, is versatile and can play as a centre-back or right-back. During the World Cup, he gained the trust of Thomas Tuchel and showed himself to be solid in build-up play, although without much flair.
Arsenal thus faces a crucial challenge to maintain defensive stability without Saliba, with decisions that could define the direction of the defense for this season. The situation with the Frenchman is a test of the squad's depth and Arteta's ability to find effective solutions.
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