France, Arsenal: William Saliba may ultimately avoid the worst

Long thought to be heading for surgery and several months on the sidelines, William Saliba may ultimately opt for a conservative treatment to heal his back.

William Saliba could escape going under the knife. Troubled by back pain for several months, the Arsenal defender gritted his teeth to play in the 2026 World Cup, after already playing at less than 100% in the Champions League final against PSG.

Read also: 2026 World Cup / France vs England: The jackpot reserved for the winner of the third-place playoff

But his body finally gave out in the semi-final against Spain (0-2). Forced to leave the pitch in the first half, the French international admitted: "My back is done." According to RMC Sport, Saliba played in the tournament with a back fracture, which initially sparked fears of surgery.

However, according to L’Équipe, tests carried out on Wednesday reportedly revealed no worsening of the injury. Surgery is therefore no longer the preferred option. Nevertheless, a lengthy period of treatment awaits the defender, with his situation set to be reassessed at the start of the week with Arsenal. An absence of up to five months had recently been mentioned.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

Related teams and leagues

France