Arsenal’s defensive concerns have escalated with the confirmation that key defender William Saliba will miss the club’s final game of the season on Sunday due to a hamstring injury. The Frenchman sustained the injury during last weekend’s match against Newcastle United.
Saliba’s 100th Premier League appearance against Newcastle ended prematurely, as he was forced off after just 45 minutes with a hamstring issue. His absence is a significant blow for Mikel Arteta’s side, who, despite a poor run of form since February, have all but secured second place in the Premier League.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s final fixture against already relegated Southampton, Arteta confirmed the extent of Saliba’s injury. “William is going to be out for a few weeks, unfortunately,” the Spanish coach told beIN SPORTS. “He pulled his hamstring against Newcastle.”
This injury leaves Arsenal without both of their preferred starting center-backs for the trip to the south coast. Saliba’s usual defensive partner, Gabriel Magalhães, has been sidelined with a hamstring injury of his own since the beginning of April.
Riccardo Calafiori, typically a left-back since joining Arsenal from Bologna last summer, is now expected to cover for Saliba’s absence. The Italian replaced his ailing teammate against Newcastle and is set to start alongside Jakub Kiwior, who has been deputizing for Gabriel, for the Southampton game.
Further compounding Arsenal’s defensive injury crisis, Jurrien Timber will also miss the fixture after undergoing ankle surgery. Like Saliba, the Dutch defender has been ruled out for “a few weeks as well.”
Arsenal fans will undoubtedly be hoping that this isn’t Saliba’s last game for the club. Real Madrid’s long-standing transfer interest in the defender has been well-documented, and the Spanish giants will soon need to consider a long-term replacement for Antonio Rüdiger. However, Real Madrid’s recent acquisition of Dean Huijsen, which represents a club-record outlay for a defender, is likely to keep Saliba out of their reach for the immediate future.