The fear in Arsenal's medical room will be palpable when William Saliba reports for assessment this week: the 25-year-old centre-back, forced off after just 30 minutes of France's World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain, has been carrying a back problem that appears to have worsened. The issue, which has dogged him for several weeks, may now require surgery – an option that would almost certainly mean a long-term lay-off.
Saliba carried the injury into the World Cup, having played through pain for months. “I’ve had some minor niggles for several months,” he 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.” He missed France’s final group game against Norway before returning for the knockout stage – a stint that ended abruptly against Spain.
“Arsenal will assess William Saliba’s back injury after he was forced off in France’s World Cup semi-final defeat.”
The timing is brutal for Arsenal. Last season Saliba made 50 appearances in all competitions as the Gunners ended a 22-year wait to win the Premier League and reached the Champions League final. His absence for an extended period would leave Mikel Arteta searching for a replacement in a summer window already busy with moves for Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier.
France still have one more game: the third-place play-off against England on Saturday (22:00 BST). Whether Saliba features remains unclear. But the greater concern for Arsenal is what happens when he returns to London. Surgery is among the options being considered, and if that path is taken, the defender who gritted his teeth through three competitions may finally have to stop.