William Saliba injury concern grows after France defender forced off against Spain

Arsenal have been dealt a fresh injury scare after William Saliba was forced off during France’s 2-0 World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain.

The centre-back appeared to aggravate a long-standing back problem, raising concerns that surgery could now be required ahead of the new club season.

Saliba unable to continue

The injury occurred midway through the match when Saliba suddenly went to ground without any contact while carrying the ball out of defence.

Realising he could not continue, the defender played the ball out before being replaced by Maxence Lacroix.

France went on to lose 2-0 as Spain secured their place in the World Cup final.

According to the Daily Mail, Saliba told teammates after going down:

“My back is gone, my back is gone.”

The incident has intensified fears surrounding a problem that has troubled the Arsenal defender for several months.

Persistent back issue

Saliba has been playing through discomfort for much of the past season.

He made 50 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions and completed the full 120 minutes during the club’s Champions League final defeat despite managing the injury.

During the World Cup group stage, Saliba admitted he had not been fully fit.

“I’ve had some minor niggles for several months. I’ve been gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League.”

“The World Cup comes around only once every four years, so you’ve got to grit your teeth. I’m not at 100 per cent, but there are plenty of players who aren’t at 100 per cent either. You can’t make excuses.”

Surgery fears increase

Reports from L’Equipe had already suggested before the semi-final that surgery remained a possibility if Saliba’s condition worsened.

His latest setback could now force Arsenal’s medical staff to consider that option before the start of the new campaign.

The club are expected to assess the extent of the damage once Saliba returns from international duty.

Arsenal await further updates

France manager Didier Deschamps had previously attempted to ease concerns over Saliba’s condition before the tournament.

When asked about the defender’s fitness, he insisted:

“He’s here, everything is fine.”

However, Saliba was rested during France’s final group-stage match before returning for the knockout rounds, suggesting the coaching staff had already been carefully managing his workload.

His premature exit against Spain has now cast significant doubt over his immediate availability, leaving Arsenal anxiously awaiting the results of further medical examinations ahead of pre-season.