Saliba faces potential post-World Cup surgery amid back injury concerns
Reports from L’Équipe indicate the 25-year-old centre-back may require intervention after the FIFA World Cup, casting doubt on his availability for the domestic season opener.
Arsenal centre-back William Saliba is facing the possibility of back surgery following the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup, according to reports from the French newspaper L’Équipe. The 25-year-old defender has been managing a persistent back issue for several weeks, a condition that reportedly worsened after he played the full 120 minutes in the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.
While the injury did not prevent Saliba from completing the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw before Paris Saint-Germain won 4-3 on penalties, subsequent developments have raised questions about his immediate future. Foot Mercato reported on Monday that there was a risk the defender could miss several weeks of action, a scenario that initially placed his place in France’s World Cup squad in doubt.
Discussions regarding the injury have reportedly highlighted a divergence in assessment between the player’s entourage and the national team’s medical staff. According to L’Équipe, Saliba’s representatives were particularly concerned about the severity of the issue, whereas Didier Deschamps’ medical team was less apprehensive. This distinction appears to have influenced the current trajectory of his participation in the upcoming tournament.
Medical tests conducted on Monday were described as "positive," leading to the expectation that Saliba will participate in the World Cup for Les Bleus. However, the prognosis for his club career remains less certain. L’Équipe understands that Arsenal were already aware that they would not be able to count on the defender post-World Cup, with surgery potentially scheduled for the end of the summer.
The primary concern now centres on the impact on the domestic season. While Saliba is expected to represent France, there are significant concerns that he may miss the start of the Premier League season. The exact nature and severity of the back issue have not been publicly detailed by Arsenal, and it remains unconfirmed whether the surgery will definitively proceed, though the possibility is now a central factor in the club’s planning for the upcoming campaign.
