Arsenal star William Saliba has been pencilled in for a return in November after a recent positive scan on his back injury.
The centre-back is yet to play a game this season after being ruled out for the Gunners before the campaign began. His last game of any kind was France’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain on July 14th.
Since then, the Frenchman has been undergoing a carefully planned fitness regime to work his way back from the back injury that has seen him miss 126 days so far and eight games for the Gunners.
The injury has been an issue since February but flared up during the World Cup, eventually giving out early on in the loss to Spain.
Treatment regime
The Arsenal defender had been taking powerful painkillers up to that point to combat the issue. But they eventually stopped working, leading to him dropping out of the game.
Saliba had previously gritted his teeth during Arsenal’s Champions League campaign and even the tournament in America. That had seen him spending 24-48 hours after games doing nothing just to recover.
All parties knew something would have to be done eventually. And so shortly after the World Cup, Saliba held a consultation in London. That dispelled any need for surgery. But the defender made it clear that he would not be rushing his return either. He has grown wary of living with pain on a day-to-day basis.
A very strict protocol of treatment and rest was established. First, Saliba went on holiday. Then he returned to training in a ‘studious’ manner. This has all been done at Arsenal’s training centre, involving treatment, massages and cycling.
The French defender has been spending his time alone with the physiotherapists, away from his teammates, before returning home. While there, he’s had to find a way to combat boredom.
| William Saliba — Arsenal, all competitions | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | 2026/27 so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 51 | 50 | 0 |
| Starts | 50 | 48 | 0 |
| Minutes played | 4,466 | 4,254 | 0 |
| Goals | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Assists | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Red cards | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Playstation to the rescue
So, a routine of playing the PlayStation, taking bike rides or shopping in central London punctuate his days. Then the daily routine of treatment begins the next day. In between, Saliba watches every Arsenal and France game with interest, eager to return.
“He knows he has to take his time. He’s suffered too much and wants to come back at 100%,” someone close to him explained to L’Equipe, for their Thursday edition. “He misses it too much,” the source added.
The question is when he will return. Imaging tests performed about ten days ago confirmed that his recovery is progressing well. There are positive signs. Saliba has even abandoned cycling and returned to running instead. His return will depend on how he feels.
November has now been pencilled in as a possible return date. But that is a cautious date at best. Arsenal, Saliba and the medical team are not rushing his return. No ‘competition’ is on the immediate horizon despite that cautious date.
Instead, it seems the centre-back will have to continue his regime of work and boredom busting as he looks to ensure a long-term injury doesn’t return to haunt him in future.
