Arsenal defender Williams Saliba is major doubt for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers following an injury setback on Sunday.
Saliba, who has Cameroonian root pulled out with an apparent muscle injury, just five minutes into the Gunners’ Premier League clash against champions Liverpool.
The France international had to be replaced by summer signing Cristhian Mosquera in the highly competitive clash.
The 24-year-old will undergo scans to determine the extent of the injury, but he remains a doubt for France upcoming fixtures. The European giants will face Ukraine and Poland in a high-stake World Cup qualifying games scheduled for September 2025.
Saliba could be the second player in Didier Deschamps’ France squad to miss out on the September international break after Rayan Cherki.
The Manchester City playmaker Rayan Cherki, who will reportedly be out for two months for a torn quadriceps pulled out of the squad, with Hugo Ekitike earning his first invite to replace Cherki.
Should Saliba miss out on his France duties, Deschamps has no shortage of options to choose from. He could pick Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Loïc Badé or go for an internal solution with Leny Yoro, considering the Manchester United centre-back will be at Clairefontaine with France’s U21 side.
