William Saliba
Arsenal have been dealt a significant setback with the news that centre-back William Saliba will be out of action for three to four weeks due to an ankle injury. The French defender was forced to leave the field early in Arsenal’s recent match against Liverpool, and subsequently withdrew from international duty with France. This development leaves Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with a defensive conundrum as the team faces a challenging fixture list in the coming weeks.
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.”
Saliba’s absence is expected to impact Arsenal’s upcoming matches against Nottingham Forest, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester City, and a Carabao Cup clash with Port Vale. Should his recovery extend to the worst-case scenario, he may also miss crucial games against Newcastle, Olympiacos, and West Ham United.
In the wake of Saliba’s injury, Arsenal’s recent signing, Cristhian Mosquera, stepped in against Liverpool. The 21-year-old Spaniard, acquired from Valencia for £13 million, is expected to fill the void left by Saliba. Additionally, Arsenal have bolstered their defensive options with the loan signing of Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen, with an option to make the transfer permanent next summer.
Mikel Arteta explained: “He came in and he said he believed that he could carry on and play but straightaway in the first two actions I could see that he couldn’t cope and we had to get him out, unfortunately.”
Arteta expressed relief at having Mosquera available, especially after Saliba’s injury during the warm-up at Anfield. Despite Saliba’s initial belief that he could play through the pain, it became apparent that he was unable to continue, necessitating an early substitution.
This injury setback for Saliba comes at a challenging time for Arsenal, as they navigate a busy schedule with important fixtures. The Gunners will be hoping for a swift recovery for their defensive stalwart as they aim to maintain their competitive edge in both domestic and European competitions.
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