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Arsenal defender William Saliba could return to action before the end of October, according to BBC journalist Sami Mokbel.
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The France international was forced off with a back injury during the semi-final of the World Cup just over a month ago.
It was originally reported that Saliba needed surgery, but speaking to the Latte Firm YouTube channel, Mokbel said that the decision not to have an operation could halve the length of time he is on the treatment table:
“During the World Cup, where the the stories came out about potential surgery. What I was told then would be if he was to have the surgery, it would have been a four-to-five-month job, which I think, thankfully for Arsenal, they’ve managed to avoid that length of time.”
“But I think we still will be looking at a minimum [of] two to three months here before he can get back up on the field.”
When could Saliba be back?
Based on Mokbel’s estimates, there is a chance that the 25-year-old will be available again between mid-September and mid-October if everything goes to plan with his rehabilitation.
Of course, with back injuries, it is wise to err on the side of caution. There can be complications, as we have seen with Manchester United’s Matthijs de Ligt, who has not played since the end of November last year.
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Other Arsenal injury news
Manager Mikel Arteta says that Jurrien Timber is still “weeks” away from returning to full fitness, having had minor surgery to fix a troublesome groin issue earlier this summer.
There is currently no timeframe for when the Dutchman could make his comeback, and that has prompted a search for a new addition who can provide cover for both Timber and Saliba.