Arsenal defender William Saliba has reportedly returned to full training after 'absolutely smashing' his milestones in his recuperation from a back injury.

The France international is yet to make an appearance for the Premier League champions this season, having exacerbated a long-standing back issue during the World Cup semi-finals.

Arsenal and Saliba opted against surgery in favour of a conservative approach to treatment, although there were fears that the 25-year-old would not feature again in 2026.

However, Saliba returned to individual training in October, and Arteta refused to rule out a return for the centre-back following the November international break.

A comeback this month could very well be on the cards, as according to HandofArsenal, Saliba is now back in first-team training, thus clearing a major milestone in his recovery process and taking a huge step towards being available again.

William Saliba returns to Arsenal training after 'smashing' recovery milestones

The X account adds that Saliba has 'absolutely smashed' his recovery targets over the past few months, although Arsenal will understandably be extremely cautious when it comes to his re-integration.

Saliba is not expected to be involved in Wednesday's Champions League league-phase match against Slavia Prague, although he may be seen taking part in the team session during Arsenal's open training on Tuesday morning.

Mikel Arteta will inevitably be quizzed for an update on Saliba in his pre-game press conference if he does appear, but the Spaniard is likely to keep his cards close to his chest.

However, the 25-year-old may be in with a slim chance of making the squad against Hull City this weekend, or Arsenal's first game back following the international break away to Newcastle United on November 21.

Saliba made 50 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions in the 2025-26 season, including 30 Premier League starts and 12 in the Champions League, while playing 4,254 minutes in total.

The former Saint-Etienne starlet also started six games for France at the 2026 World Cup, but he was taken off in the 30th minute of Les Bleus' semi-final loss to Spain as a result of his back problem.

What will William Saliba's return mean for Ezri Konsa?

Saliba's imminent return to first-team football will give Arteta the best selection dilemma imaginable, thanks to Ezri Konsa's seamless integration into the Arsenal backline.

The England international has already played his part in five clean sheets in the 2026-27 Premier League season and produced another defensive masterclass in Arsenal's 1-0 win over Liverpool, as his relationship with Gabriel Magalhaes blossoms further.

Konsa should expect to maintain his undisputed starter status for the next few weeks at least, while Saliba builds his match fitness back up, and the 29-year-old can be viewed as a genuine competitor to the Frenchman, not just his backup.

However, if Saliba can return to the level he was performing at in each of the past four years, expect the 25-year-old to eventually regain his rightful spot in the Arsenal back four, even if Konsa has been one of the signings of the season so far.