Arsenal Suffer Major Blow As William Saliba Ruled Out With Ankle Injury For Up To A Month

Arsenal have been dealt a significant blow with William Saliba sidelined after suffering an ankle injury during the warm-up at Anfield ahead of the Premier League clash against Liverpool. The 24-year-old France international tried to continue but was forced to come off after just five minutes into the game, leaving Mikel Arteta without his defensive leader.

Blow for France Squad

The knock has also ruled Saliba out of Didier Deschamps' France squad, with the Les Bleus boss handing Benjamin Pavard a recall in his absence. According to L'Equipe, the situation is serious enough that Saliba is unlikely to be called up for the October international break either, when France will face Azerbaijan at home before traveling to Iceland for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Arsenal Fixtures in Jeopardy

For Arsenal, the timing could hardly be worse. The centre-back is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks, a spell that will force him to sit out key Premier League fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. Adding to the Gunners' frustration, Saliba is also set to miss their Champions League group-stage opener against Athletic.

If recovery goes smoothly, there is cautious optimism that Saliba could return in time for Arsenal's trip to Newcastle United three weeks from now. Until then, Arteta will be forced to reshuffle his defence during a crucial period of both domestic and European competition.

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