William Saliba could avoid back surgery after World Cup semi-final injury | OneFootball

William Saliba could avoid back surgery after being forced off in France’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain. He will not feature against England in tonight’s third-place play-off.

The tie ended 0-2 on Tuesday. Saliba underwent tests on Wednesday which, according to L'Équipe, did not reveal any aggravation.

The defender, a standout across the tournament, has been managing chronic back pain for months, with a first episode two years ago.

For now surgery is not the preferred route. A long course of treatment could be chosen instead.

A final decision will be taken with Arsenal at the start of next week. In the meantime he faces an extended period of care.

Source: L'Équipe