why is saliba not playing for arsenal

William Saliba has missed games for Arsenal mainly because of a minor ankle problem picked up in late 2025 and, more recently, a short illness on a matchday in February 2026.

Quick Scoop: Why Saliba Isn’t Playing

In late November 2025, Saliba was a surprise omission from the squad to face Chelsea after feeling discomfort in training. Mikel Arteta described it as a small issue and initially expected it to be short term, but the ankle problem lingered longer than hoped and caused a setback in his return. The injury affected how he was running and led to extra strain, so the medical staff decided to stop him and let it settle rather than risk something more serious.

Reports in December 2025 described it as a relatively minor ankle injury, with Arteta repeatedly saying he was only “days” away from coming back, even as he missed several matches in a row. Arsenal had to reshuffle their defence during that spell, using alternative centre‑backs while waiting for Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães to get fully fit. The club also stressed that, despite the frustration, it was not considered a major long‑term setback and that he was close to returning.

In February 2026, a separate, much shorter absence occurred when Saliba had to withdraw from the squad on the morning of a game against Brentford because he felt unwell. Arteta confirmed before kick‑off that Saliba was ill and staying at home, and that this was expected to be only a short‑term issue. So when fans ask “why is Saliba not playing for Arsenal” right now, the answer is: a combination of a nagging but minor ankle injury from late 2025 and, on at least one recent occasion, a brief illness keeping him out of a specific match.

In other words, there’s no big falling‑out or shock long‑term banishment here – just the frustrating reality of small fitness issues arriving at the wrong time for one of Arsenal’s key defenders.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.