Arsenal’s pre-season hasn’t gone to plan. That 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup on Sunday was frustrating enough. But the bigger worry? Two of Mikel Arteta‘s most important defenders are still nowhere near fit.
William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both missed the Dortmund clash. And based on what Arteta told the press afterwards, neither will be rushing back anytime soon.
So what’s actually going on? Let’s break it down.
Saliba’s Back Problem Is Worse Than Anyone Hoped
Saliba’s issues didn’t appear overnight. He’d been dealing with back pain for months during last season, but pushed through it — including at the 2026 World Cup.
That decision caught up with him. During France’s semi-final loss to Spain, he went down off the ball after just 30 minutes. No contact, no challenge. Reports from the pitch said he was heard telling staff: “My back is gone.”
It was a grim moment. Didier Deschamps immediately ruled him out of the third-place playoff against England.
The good news? Arsenal confirmed in late July that surgery won’t be needed. Their official statement read: “Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme.”
But don’t mistake that for a quick fix. Arteta’s latest update, delivered after Sunday’s loss, paints a cautious picture.
“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,” Arteta said. “As quick as we have more news, we can inform.”
There’s no return date. Reports from L’Equipe earlier this summer suggested he could miss up to five months. Arsenal’s win rate without Saliba starting drops from 68% to 50%, according to Sky Sports — that’s a significant dip.
Timber’s Groin Issue Won’t Go Away
If Saliba’s situation is the slow-burning crisis, Timber’s is the nagging frustration.
The Dutchman’s Arsenal career has been plagued by setbacks. An ACL tear wiped out almost all of his debut season in 2023-24. He bounced back last year, making 44 appearances and helping the club win the Premier League title.
But his body hasn’t cooperated since. Here’s a quick timeline of what’s happened:
- An ankle injury sidelined him for two months near the end of last season
- He recovered in time for the Champions League final defeat to PSG
- A groin problem then forced him to withdraw from the Netherlands’ World Cup squad
- He underwent minor groin surgery this summer
- He left Arsenal’s training camp in Spain to continue rehab in London
- He’s doing individual gym work but hasn’t rejoined group training
Arteta acknowledged on Sunday that Timber is still weeks away.
“Jurrien is progressing really well. He’s on the pitch, he’s doing quite a lot right now. But he’s still weeks away. I cannot tell you how much.”
That means he’ll miss the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16, the Premier League opener at home to Coventry on August 21, and likely the trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea too.
What Does This Mean for Arsenal’s Season?
Without Saliba or Timber available, Arteta had to start Ben White at right-back and Cristhian Mosquera at centre-back against Dortmund. Mosquera struggled — he was partly at fault for the first goal.
Arsenal aren’t sitting on their hands, though. They’ve already signed Piero Hincapie permanently after his loan from Bayer Leverkusen. And they’re actively chasing reinforcements.
Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa is reportedly the top target, but Villa’s £60 million asking price remains a major hurdle. Free agent John Stones was also linked, but he’s since joined Inter Milan. Other names on the radar include West Ham’s Konstantinos Mavropanos and Como’s Jacobo Ramón.
On a brighter note, David Raya and Bukayo Saka are both back in training after their World Cup breaks. They could feature in Wednesday’s final pre-season friendly against Como.
Still, there’s no sugarcoating this. Arsenal are entering the new campaign without the defender their entire system is built around. And their most versatile backup isn’t fit either.
How Arteta navigates the opening weeks could define whether Arsenal’s title defence stays on track — or starts with a stumble.
