Arsenal will begin their Premier League title defense without two of their first-choice central defenders, William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, manager Mikel Arteta announced. Both players are facing extended periods on the sidelines due to injuries sustained recently.
Saliba, a cornerstone of Arsenal's defense, is currently in a recovery phase after suffering a back injury while on international duty with France during the World Cup. Reports suggest his condition will require a significant rehabilitation period, forcing him to miss the start of the new campaign. The club has confirmed the injury will require time to heal, and he has been advised to rest to avoid aggravating the issue.
Timber, who joined Arsenal recently, has also been dealt a blow. While he has been seen progressing on the pitch and is nearing a return, Arteta stated that he is still "weeks away" from full match fitness. Timber had previously missed the World Cup with a persistent groin problem.
"As quick as we have more news we can inform," Arteta said following Arsenal's pre-season match against Borussia Dortmund. "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, we know that."
Regarding Timber, Arteta added, "Jurrien is progressing really well, he's on the pitch, he's doing quite a lot right now, but is still weeks away. I cannot say how much."
The absences of Saliba and Timber mean that Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera are the likely candidates to fill the defensive roles. However, the club may also consider entering the transfer market to acquire replacements for the injured duo.
Arteta acknowledged the impact of losing key players. "We have experienced that in the past, unfortunately. When he's been available, his stats are incredible. We know that we have lost an incredible player. Same with Jurrien," he stated. "We need to improve with the players that we have."