William Saliba's return timeline unclear after back surgery

Arsenal's William Saliba, recovering from back surgery, is not expected to return until at least October 2026. The defender aggravated a pre-existing injury during the World Cup while playing for France. Saliba had been managing the injury throughout the Premier League season and into the Champions League final in the previous campaign. Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed Saliba's absence extends through the September international break, as the team may rely on backup central defenders Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera in his absence.

• 9:53 PMYahoo Sports — When is William Saliba back? Projected return date for Arsenal defender after surgery for back injury