Arsenal’s bid to defend their first Premier League title in 22 years has been dealt a major blow, with William Saliba facing potential surgery after limping off during France’s World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain.
The 25-year-old centre-back, who had been gritting his teeth through a back problem for several months, lasted only 30 minutes before being forced off. “I’ve had some minor niggles for several months,” Saliba said earlier in the tournament. “I’ve been gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League. The World Cup comes round only once every four years, so you’ve got to grit your teeth.”
“William Saliba faces potential surgery after World Cup injury, threatening Arsenal's Premier League title defence.”
Saliba’s partnership with Gabriel Magalhães was crucial to Arsenal’s title success last season, their clean sheets securing vital points. Now surgery is among the options being considered by the club’s medical team, with reports in France suggesting he could be out for four months.
The defender is not alone – Arsenal had 15 players at the World Cup, with eight still involved before this weekend’s finals. David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi will face Argentina in the final, while England’s Noni Madueke, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze play France for bronze. Rice and Saka have also been managing fitness issues throughout the tournament, their condition widely debated.
Mikel Arteta will be hopeful that Ben White, who had knee surgery, and Jurrien Timber, who missed the World Cup, are fit for the start of the season. Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera offer additional cover. Yet with Saliba’s absence potentially lengthy, Arsenal’s slow start to the summer transfer window looks more concerning.
The champions have made just one major signing: Ecuador defender Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen for £34.5m. Outgoings include Jakub Kiwior to Porto, Karl Hein to Werder Bremen, and Leandro Trossard to Beşiktaş for £17m. Meanwhile, rivals have been far busier – Manchester City paid £116m for Elliot Anderson, Chelsea are set to break the window record with a £117m move for Morgan Rogers, and Tottenham have spent almost £250m.
With the new Premier League season just over a month away, Arsenal’s medical room could determine whether their title defence gets off the ground before it has even begun.