Mikel Arteta confirms William Saliba remains unavailable for upcoming Arsenal match

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that defender William Saliba will not feature in the team's upcoming match against Chelsea. The defender remains sidelined while undergoing a recovery process for a recurring back injury that worsened following his participation in the World Cup. Although Arteta described the progression of the recovery as positive, he stated that the medical staff will not set a specific return date until the player demonstrates his ability to handle increased physical workloads. In response to the ongoing uncertainty regarding Saliba’s availability, the club secured Ezri Konsa as defensive cover. Arsenal will continue to monitor the defender's physical response to training sessions before determining when he can return to competitive action.

• 11:00 AMYahoo Sports — Arteta still does not know when Saliba will be back