Arsenal fear 4-5 month absence for key starter | OneFootball

Arsenal anticipate William Saliba will need four or five months on the sidelines if he undergoes an increasingly likely surgical procedure, according to a report from France.

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Hugo Delom reports for L’Equipe that further tests are planned for William Saliba’s back problem, with nothing definitively decided yet. But as it stands, surgery is reportedly the most likely scenario.

Such a procedure would keep Saliba out for several months, and L’Equipe report that in discussions with potential targets, Arsenal’s hierarchy have suggested they anticipate the defender missing four or five months.

L’Equipe stress that the exact duration will depend on the treatment chosen. If further testing suggests Saliba could avoid surgery, maybe he will be back much sooner. But Arsenal are evidently planning for the worst.

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According to the same report, Saliba said “I can’t take it anymore, my back is dead” to Dayot Upamecano before being substituted in France’s semi-final match.

It makes sense that Arsenal would be using Saliba’s injury situation in transfer negotiations, as they’ll potentially be able to convince a higher calibre of player to join on the basis that they’ll have a few months of regular football before needing to compete with the France international.

Everyone knows that Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have formed one of the best defensive partnerships in the world, which is going to make a move to Arsenal a little less appealing. But with Saliba potentially out for a while, perhaps that’s less of an issue.

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Yet even if Arsenal make a top signing at centre-back, it’s unlikely the new player would be on the same level as Saliba. The Gunners have one of the best centre-backs on the planet, and they’ll want him back fit and available as soon as it’s medically safe.

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