William Saliba Faces Lengthy Layoff Due to Back Surgery

Arsenal have been dealt a brutal blow: William Saliba is heading for back surgery and is expected to be out for four to five months, according to reports from both L’Équipe and The Athletic.

The France defender, a pillar of Mikel Arteta’s back line, was forced off in the Euro semi-final against Spain after his back problems flared up again. The substitution looked precautionary at the time. It was anything but.

French journalist Julien Laurens has reported that, during the injury, Saliba told those around him that his back was “completely done for.” He had already been playing through the tournament on strong painkillers, pushing his body to stay on the pitch for club and country.

Now there is no way around it. The operation is expected to keep him sidelined until the end of the year, with a realistic return not anticipated until 2027. For Arsenal, that means planning the first half of the season without their defensive leader. For Saliba, it means a long, lonely road back from an injury that finally demanded a full stop.