Mikel Arteta has confirmed that William Saliba and Jurrien Timber will be sidelined for an extended period, with the French defender in 'rest mode' and the Dutchman still 'weeks away' from a return. The Arsenal manager's update came after a 3-2 friendly defeat to Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, where both players were absent due to a back injury and a groin issue respectively.
Arteta's Injury Update
Speaking in a press conference after the match, Arteta was unable to provide precise return dates for either player. 'I cannot be very precise with that. Jurrien is progressing really well, he's on the pitch, he's doing quite a lot right now, but is still weeks away, I cannot say how much,' he said. 'William is in rest mode at the moment. For two weeks he had to do almost nothing, don't aggravate the injury. It's going to take some time to heal, we know that. As quick as we have more news we can inform.'
Saliba's back problem was first revealed two weeks ago when Arsenal released a statement confirming he had 'suffered a back injury which will require a period of rehabilitation.' The club added: 'Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme. William's rehabilitation will commence immediately, with continual management of his injury, and he is expected to be out of action for an extended period.'
Arsenal's Defensive Options
Despite the setbacks, Arsenal have a wealth of defensive talent at their disposal, including Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, and Myles Lewis-Skelly. However, Arteta acknowledged that Saliba's absence is a significant blow given his influence on the team. 'We have experienced that in the past, unfortunately. When he's been available, his stats are incredible. We know that we have lost an incredible player. Same with Jurrien,' he said.
The Gunners are set to face Como in another friendly on Wednesday before taking on Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday. Their Premier League title defence begins with a home game against Coventry on August 21, and it appears unlikely either player will feature in that match.
Transfer Window Considerations
When asked if he was looking to add a defender in the transfer window, Arteta did not indicate that this was a priority. 'We conceded some poor goals the other day, some poor goals today, in the way we competed especially, but that's a collective responsibility. We need to improve with the players that we have,' he explained.
Arsenal's defensive record will be tested in the coming weeks, and fans will be eager for positive news on the fitness of Saliba and Timber as the season approaches.
