Arteta unsure of Saliba return date
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits he's uncertain what role William Saliba will play in the Gunners' quest for a first Premier League title since 2004.
The 22-year-old France defender has been out of action since picking up a back injury in the team's March 16 Europa League defeat on penalties to Sporting.
"With William we have to wait a little bit more," the Spaniard said ahead of the team's home date against bottom side Southampton on Friday. "He is not progressing as quickly as we had hoped. It is a bit delicate."
Arteta says the team does not intend to rush Saliba back into action.
"We want to be very certain when we push him that he is ready to absorb the load and with the risk we would take at the moment that is not possible to do," Arteta said.
Signed from Saint-Etienne in a £27 million transfer in the summer of 2019, Saliba is in his first full season with the Gunners after a trio of loan spells back in Ligue 1 with Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseiile.
He's made 33 appearances across all competitions this season, scoring three times.
The Gunners are coming off of back-to-back draws with Liverpool and West Ham with the team blowing two-goal leads in both matches. Arsenal sits atop the table on 74 points, four clear of Manchester CIty, but with having played one more match.