William Saliba was sent off in the France World Cup semi-final and the Arsenal defender is set to undergo surgery, which could keep him out for up to five months.
William Saliba faces a long battle after being sent off in the French semi-final (Image: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
William Saliba has been sidelined for five months and will miss the first few months of Arsenal’s Premier League title defense.
The report was a huge blow to the Gunners, who have made the Frenchman one of the pillars of their recent success. Saliba has become an important figure for club and country, and it was during his time at Les Bleus that he finally recovered from the injury that had plagued him for several months.
He collapsed on the pitch in agony during the first half of France’s semi-final defeat to Spain on Tuesday and had to be sent off after just 30 minutes.
L’Equipe claim the Arsenal player could be out for “four to five months” following the surgery, meaning he will miss the Gunners’ first three months.
When Saliba collapsed in a World Cup match, he is said to have told defense partner Dayot Upamecano: “I can’t take it anymore, it’s over.”
The 25-year-old admitted he had been dealing with the issue for some time before the tournament started, but hasn’t spoken since he hobbled away on Tuesday.
Before the World Cup, he said: “We’ve had a bit of frustration over the last few months. We had the Champions League and the Premier League, so we were gritting our teeth. But the coaching staff are dealing with it well. The World Cup only comes once every four years, so we have to grit our teeth. I’m not 100 per cent, but there are a lot of players who aren’t 100 per cent. There are no excuses.”
Gabriel and William Saliba form an elite partnership (Image: (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images))
Mikel Arteta has built success with one of Europe’s best defenses in north London, with Saliba and Gabriel considered the best centre-half duo in the business. In his absence, Arsenal will have to look to other players who can fill in for Ben White and Julian Timber, both of whom could act as substitutes.
Arsenal begin the season at home to Coventry, with their first 10 games against Aston Villa and Liverpool, while they also host London rivals Chelsea.
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