Huge Blow As Defender Ruled Out of Leeds Clash.

Arsenal’s young French defender William Saliba is set to miss the upcoming Premier League match against Leeds due to an ongoing back issue, according to a report by Kaya Kaynak of Football London. The 21-year-old aggravated the issue during the Europa League match against Sporting CP, and has not recovered sufficiently to be in contention for the weekend clash.

William Saliba set to miss Leeds clash with back injury. Unclear when exactly his return to the squad will be atm.

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— Kaya Kaynak (@kayakaynak97) March 30, 2023

The report suggests that Saliba may require surgery to address the problem, which could rule him out for the rest of the season. However, with 10 games still left to play, it remains to be seen whether the operation can be delayed until the summer. The decision to operate now would undoubtedly mean the end of his season.

The young defender may still feature for Arsenal before the end of the season, as the club could opt for continued treatment, pain-killing injections, and load-sharing with Rob Holding. However, it will depend on the risk involved and whether playing him could exacerbate the injury.

The absence of Saliba is undoubtedly a blow to Arsenal’s hopes of winning the league this season as he has formed a solid Partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes and has been instrumental to the Gunners wonderful season.