William Saliba's Back Surgery: Major Setback for Arsenal

Arsenal have been dealt a brutal setback: William Saliba is heading for back surgery and faces months on the sidelines.

Both L'Équipe and The Athletic report that the France defender will undergo an operation after the back problems that forced him off in the Euro semi-final against Spain. What looked worrying on the night has now become the nightmare scenario for club and country.

French journalist Julien Laurens has reported that, during the game, Saliba told those around him that his back was “completely done for.” He had already been playing through the tournament on strong painkillers, pushing his body to its limit in the hope of carrying France and maintaining his ever-present status under Mikel Arteta.

This time, the pain has won.

The upcoming procedure is expected to rule him out for around four to five months. On that timeline, Arsenal are unlikely to see him back in competitive action before 2027, ripping a key pillar out of a defence built around his authority and calm.

For a player who has become the heartbeat of Arsenal’s back line, it is a savage pause in his rise—and a test of how well Arteta’s side can cope without their defensive cornerstone in the months to come.