World Cup injury forces Arsenal to make a surprise move

Due to William Saliba's injury, Arsenal has had to redirect their focus in the transfer market. Rather than concentrating on midfield reinforcements, the North London side is said to be close to finalizing a central defender.

Arsenal are urgently seeking defensive reinforcements after confirming that William Saliba will be sidelined for an extended period with a back injury. According to ESPN Brazil, the Emirates Stadium club is very close to signing a new center-back to fill the void left by the French international, as the 2026/27 season approaches rapidly.

ESPN Brazil journalist Bruno Andrade revealed that the center-back deal is even progressing faster than the pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes. "I don't have the player's name yet, so I can't call this exclusive information. But according to someone involved in the Bruno Guimaraes deal, Arsenal are very close to signing a center-back to temporarily resolve the issue caused by Saliba's injury... everything is very close." The identity of the new signing has not yet been confirmed, but this is considered Arsenal's top priority in the transfer window.

Arsenal's accelerated pursuit of a center-back came immediately after the club officially confirmed Saliba's condition. The French defender suffered a back injury during the 2026 World Cup semi-final between France and Spain, when he suddenly collapsed on the pitch without contact and had to be substituted, instantly raising concerns among Arsenal's coaching staff.

After returning to London, Saliba underwent a series of in-depth tests. The results showed that the 25-year-old has a back injury and will need to begin a long-term treatment and rehabilitation program under the supervision of Arsenal's medical team. The positive news is that he does not require surgery, which gives hope for an earlier return than initially feared.

Previously, Saliba himself admitted that he had been enduring pain for a long time. "I've had small issues for months. I had to grit my teeth and play because of the Champions League, the Premier League, and then the World Cup. I wasn't at 100% fitness, but many other players were in the same situation. I don't want to use that as an excuse," the French center-back said during the 2026 World Cup.

According to ESPN Brazil, since Bruno Andrade primarily covers Portuguese football, speculation is now focused on center-backs currently playing in the Primeira Liga. Sporting's Zeno Debast is considered a standout name on Arsenal's shortlist, alongside Gonçalo Inácio and Tomás Araújo, two players also expected to leave their clubs this summer. Although the identity is not yet confirmed, Arsenal's urgent move to bring in a new center-back demonstrates that the club wants to quickly fill the gap left by Saliba before embarking on their title defense campaign in the new season.