William Saliba Back in Full Training as Arsenal Prepare for Slavia Prague

William Saliba is back in full training with Arsenal, ahead of their Champions League match with Slavia Prague on Wednesday.

The centre-back, 25, has not played this season. He has been out with a back injury since France's World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain, when he came off early. Before the tournament he had been managing the problem through last season. After the World Cup he was sent to a specialist.

The specialist decided he does not need back surgery. Instead, he faces a lengthy rehabilitation, the process of rebuilding strength and fitness after an injury. No timescale has been set for his return, and Arsenal have said they will be cautious with him, according to the BBC.

Saliba's absence matters because of how well the defence has been playing. Last season Arsenal won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, and they conceded only 27 league goals. Saliba was named in the PFA Team of the Year for a fourth year running. The PFA, the Professional Footballers' Association, is the players' union, and its Team of the Year is one of the sport's most respected individual honours.

Arsenal have been covering for him. Ezri Konsa joined from Aston Villa for £55m. He signed hours before the opening match of the season, against Coventry, and made his debut as a substitute against Aston Villa. The 29-year-old had made 286 appearances for Villa after moving from Brentford in July 2019. Villa won the Europa League in May, their first European trophy since 1982.

Konsa has started seven of Arsenal's nine Premier League games this season. In those nine matches Arsenal have conceded just five goals. Manager Mikel Arteta has described how well Konsa has settled in as "unbelievable". Konsa also started seven of the eight games England played at the World Cup, including the quarter-final against Norway, where he played at right-back.

For now, the main news is simple. Saliba is training again, and Arsenal are waiting to see how his back responds before they put a date on his comeback.