Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that William Saliba has suffered an unexpected setback as he works his way back from a minor ankle problem, revealing that the defender has been unable to rejoin full training for several weeks.
Saliba missed the 1–1 draw against Chelsea with what was initially described as a short-term issue, and Arteta had suggested the Frenchman was only “days” from returning. Instead, his spell on the sidelines has stretched to three more matches, raising concern among supporters already wary of Arsenal’s growing injury list.
With Gabriel and Cristhian Mosquera both out and Jurrien Timber also managing a knock, Arsenal’s defensive depth has been severely tested ahead of Saturday’s clash with winless Wolves.
Arteta, who had tried to stay guarded about Saliba’s status in recent weeks, finally acknowledged the setback as pressure mounts for clarity on the centre-back’s recovery timeline.
“We have to wait and see, yesterday he didn’t train. We have an extra day, let’s see if he can [play] tomorrow.”
“It was something quite small.It came from an ankle injury that he had, and then he started to modify the way he was running and all that, and he started to overload an area, which is something common.
“But at some point, it became uncomfortable to continue training and playing, and we had to stop. He looks better but we have to wait and see if it’s enough for him to be able to train with the team.”
Arsenal are also facing major setbacks in other areas of the pitch with the likes of Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Timber all doubtful for the upcoming game. The Gunners have a two-point cushion atop the Premier League standings but anything less than a win could see them relinquish top spot to Manchester City.
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