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William Saliba injury reality laid bare as Arsenal avoided season-defining scenario William Saliba could return for Arsenal sooner than expected after the Gunners centre-back suffered a serious back injury for France at the World Cup Arsenal defender William Saliba could be back from injury after the next international break. Saliba, 24, suffered a serious back problem while playing for France at the World Cup. The former Saint-Etienne and Marseille centre-back, who had been playing through the pain barrier since March, broke down during his side's 2-0 semi-final defeat to Spain last month. It had emerged that Saliba could miss up to five months of action and may require surgery on his back. The injury is a similar complaint to the one he suffered near the end of 2022/23. But now, according to the BBC, Saliba is expected to be out for a minimum of two to three months instead, putting him on course to return once club football is back after the first international break. If Saliba had had surgery, it would have been four to five months on the sidelines. But Arsenal have avoided that length of time, and he is instead poised to be out until mid-October at the earliest. Arsenal travel to Brighton on September 19 in their final game before the extended three-week international break. The Gunners then have until October 10 before they are next in action against Leeds United at home. He is all-but guaranteed to miss the first five Premier League matches, as well as one Champions League game and one Carabao Cup tie, but his absence isn't set to be as long as first feared. There is a feeling that Saliba could be back for Arsenal to face Leeds at the Emirates Stadium, and that would be a major boost after missing him for the first part of the new season. Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta delivered an update on Saliba's condition ahead of the Gunners' game against Manchester City in the Community Shield. When asked about Saliba and Jurrien Timber, who is recovering from a groin injury that has sidelined him through pre-season, Arteta said: "Jurrien is progressing really well. FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page "He is on the pitch, we are ramping up now with certain actions and especially the volume and the load. I think he is on a good trajectory, but there is still a few weeks to go. Wilo, as we all know, it's more a long-term injury." Christian Mosquera was alongside Gabriel Magalhaes in central defence for Arsenal's 3-0 win against City in the Community Shield on Sunday, and that is expected to be the partnership for the start of the season. The Gunners face newly-promoted Coventry City first up in the Premier League on Friday night before they make the trip to Aston Villa.