Arsenal go arrange another team photo, and William Saliba go dey inside. Manager Mikel Arteta talk am after the defender no show for the official 2026/27 squad picture wey the club publish this week.
Saliba absence surprise many Arsenal supporter, but the club explain say the player no fit attend because of medical appointment.
The 25-year-old never kick ball this season. Back injury dey hold am, but e still remain one of the important player for the team, with 184 appearances for the club since e join.
Arteta explain say arranging the picture no easy. “What happened was that we have tried to do that picture three times already and we had to cancel it last minute for different reasons,” na so the manager talk.
He add say: “We had some commercial obligations, we had some people who flew over to do that, so we decided to do that picture. We will have another picture with the whole family. Hopefully we can get them all together at some point one day, and we’ll announce that as well.”
When dem ask am whether Arsenal go retake the photo, Arteta answer “yes.” He insist say Saliba “completely fine” about the whole matter. “Well, it wasn’t in his hands. But Willy is normally happy about everything. He knows how loved he is. He was taking some banter from the players and he is completely fine,” Arteta talk.
On the injury front, Saliba don return to training on the grass earlier this month, and Arteta say the defender dey progress well. Another MRI scan dey expected next week. “I think next week we have another MRI with him to see how the healing process is going,” the manager talk. “But every sign so far has been very, very positive. It will be good to have him.”
Arsenal also get other injury matter. Martin Zubimendi fit return against Nottingham Forest after e injure himself for the warm-down after the Leeds game. Piero Hincapie go still miss out for another one or two weeks. Christos Tzolis do MRI scan on Thursday to check how e dey recover from hamstring injury wey e suffer on international duty with Greece. Arteta talk say: “It’s progressing really well. Another one that hopefully we can have back in a few weeks.”
The picture wey cause the whole talk show 24 players, including Max Dowman, with the Premier League trophy and the Community Shield also inside the frame. Arsenal pose for the annual squad photo at Sobha Realty Training Centre, and e come after the club win the Premier League for the first time in over 20 years and beat Manchester City for the Community Shield.
The club spend £194.3m on new players during the summer and collect £115.9m from sales, so new faces dey the shot. Even Win, the chocolate labrador wey dey roam the training ground, show face for some of the pictures, but e no make the final cut.
Saliba injury happen during the 2026 World Cup, inside France semifinal loss to Spain at AT&T Stadium on July 14. E aggravate back complaint wey don dey before, and dem rule am out for an “extended period.” Arsenal sign am as teenager in 2019, but e no become first-team regular until three years later. Im absence for the final months of the 2022-23 season bin play big part as Arsenal title race collapse and Manchester City win the league.
Arsenal go visit Liverpool at Anfield on November 1. Before the November international break, dem still get Slavia Prague on November 4 and Hull City on November 7, then dem return on November 21 against Newcastle United away. The club sign Ezri Konsa during summer, knowing say Saliba go miss some time, and the former Aston Villa defender don fill the gap well.
