William Saliba
Arsenal’s Premier League campaign has been marred by a series of injuries, adding to the challenges faced by the Gunners in their early fixtures. The latest setback involves William Saliba, who was forced to leave the pitch during the opening minutes of Arsenal’s recent defeat to Liverpool. This injury has also ruled him out of international duty with France. Meanwhile, other key players, including Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, are also sidelined, although manager Mikel Arteta remains hopeful about their recovery timelines.
The French national team stated: “William Saliba, who started for Arsenal against Liverpool on Sunday, was forced off in the fifth minute. He will not be able to honour his call-up for the first training camp of the season. He is suffering from a sprained left ankle. After a discussion with Franck Le Gall, the French team doctor, Didier Deschamps confirmed the unavailability of William Saliba. The national coach has decided to call up Benjamin Pavard as a reinforcement.”
Mikel Arteta said: “I think it will be weeks, but I don’t know how many months. Very unfortunate, very sad for him. I think he did tremendously well to recover from the previous one. He’s never had an injury before. And suddenly this happens, but this is our profession, our football. We need to live with that. Obviously, we lose another big player for many, many weeks. But it was the right thing to do. The doctors advised and I think he was very convinced at the end that it was the quickest and the best way to resolve that issue. Every time there is a surgery you expect something like this. I’ll leave that for the medical staff to explain in detail what it was. But hopefully the most important thing is when he gets back he’s in good condition – and maybe in a long time he’ll be protected by the players.”
The injury to William Saliba has been a significant blow to Arsenal’s defensive line. His absence from both club and international duties highlights the severity of his condition. The decision to call up Benjamin Pavard as a replacement underlines the urgency of the situation for the French national team. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz’s injury adds to Arsenal’s attacking woes, though Arteta’s comments suggest optimism regarding his recovery timeline.
On a brighter note, Martin Odegaard, Christian Norgaard, and Ben White are expected to make their return post-international break, potentially boosting Arsenal’s squad depth. Odegaard’s late appearance against Liverpool signals his readiness to contribute more significantly in upcoming matches. The Gunners will face Nottingham Forest at the Emirates on September 13, where the return of these players could prove pivotal.
However, the long-term absence of Gabriel Jesus, out since January due to a knee injury, remains a concern. Arsenal has opted to exclude him from their Champions League group stage squad, indicating that his return is not imminent. As Arsenal navigates these injury challenges, the club’s depth and resilience will be tested in the weeks to come.
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