Arsenal defender William Saliba out for 4-5 months after suffering a back injury with France

Open menu

OneFootball's home page

Settings

Football Today

16 July 2026

Arsenal defender

William Saliba

suffered a serious back injury while representing

France

at the World Cup. The centre-back is expected to be sidelined for four to five months, per

L’Equipe

The 25-year-old was forced off during France’s 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain after struggling with persistent discomfort in his back.

Saliba

reportedly told international team-mate Dayot Upamecano moments before being replaced in the 30th minute, “I can’t take it anymore, my back is dead.”

The injury has raised concerns over Saliba’s ongoing fitness issues. The

Arsenal

star had previously battled chronic back pain.

His absence will come as a huge blow to Mikel Arteta, given the Frenchman’s importance to the Gunners’ defensive structure.

The way Les Bleus’ defence capitulated when Maxence Lacroix came on to replace Saliba shows he operates on a different level.

Saliba has established himself as one of the Premier League’s finest defenders, becoming a key figure in Arsenal’s domestic and Champions League campaigns.

The north London club must now find a solution, with Saliba’s recovery set to keep him away from action until well into the new season.

However,

could already have the ideal replacement within their squad.

Cristhian Mosquera should be allowed to step up and prove he can fill the void left by Saliba.

The young Spanish defender showed plenty of promise last season, displaying composure on the ball, defensive intelligence and the physical attributes required to thrive at the highest level.

While replacing a player of Saliba’s quality is no simple task, Mosquera has the tools to make the position his own.

Regular minutes alongside Gabriel Magalhaes could accelerate his development and allow him to grow into a long-term solution at the heart of Arsenal’s defence.

The opportunity may have arrived sooner than expected, but Mosquera has the chance to announce himself as a genuine first-team star.

Arsenal anticipate 4-5 month layoff for William Saliba

Get French Football News

William Saliba goes off injured in World Cup semi-final against Spain

OffsAIde

William Saliba forced off with back injury during France’s semi-final defeat to Spain

William Saliba dealt injury blow in France’s World Cup exit to spark Arsenal fears

The Independent

Major worry for Arsenal as William Saliba goes off injured during France-Spain

caughtoffside

Predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for

There are still some massive names who are set to become free agents in the summer, with some high-profile deals due to expire at the end of next month.As speculation...

Tottenham: Why James Maddison was not awarded a penalty against Leeds as Premier League issue statement

Spurs midfielder denied a big moment on his return from injuryThe Premier League has explained why Tottenham were not awarded a penalty in their draw against Leeds.As the clock ticked...

Bento's howler delays CR7's first title in Saudi Arabia 😱

An ugly mistake by Brazilian goalkeeper Bento prevented Al-Nassr from winning the Saudi League title this Tuesday.Cristiano Ronaldo’s team was leading 1-0 until the 53rd minute of the second half,...