Arsenal will evaluate William Saliba’s back injury when he returns to the club after World Cup duty. The France centre-back has been managing the problem for several weeks and appeared to aggravate it in the semi-final defeat to Spain, where he was taken off after about 30 minutes.
The club will consider a range of treatments, including the possibility of surgery, which would likely mean a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Saliba, 25, made 50 appearances in all competitions last season as Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final. During the World Cup, he acknowledged he’d been dealing with minor issues for months and kept playing given Arsenal’s campaigns and the rarity of a World Cup. He missed France’s final group match against Norway but returned for the knockout rounds.
France face England in the third-place play-off on Saturday at 22:00 BST.