Mikel Arteta confirms major Arsenal injury boost in new William Saliba update

Saliba cleared to return after back injury; played 45 minutes in behind-closed-doors friendly and travelled with squad for Champions League tie.

William Saliba is ready to make his Arsenal return after missing the entire season with a serious back injury sustained at the World Cup. The defender has completed his recovery without requiring surgery and played 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly last week without setbacks.

Arteta confirmed Saliba is back in full training and travelled with the squad for Wednesday's Champions League match against Slavia Prague. "He's in a really good place," the manager said. "His evolution has been as expected. He feels ready to go."

Arsenal are expected to be cautious with Saliba's competitive return, with Ezri Konsa having impressed alongside Gabriel in his absence. However, Arteta warned the defender that he expects him to be available for a full 90 minutes rather than being eased in gradually, given the thorough preparation undertaken to manage his workload.