Ezri Konsa may not be the biggest casualty of William Saliba’s Arsenal return

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Kickjolly · AI-written · automatically reviewed · Pain in the Arsenal ↗

William Saliba is nearing a return to the Arsenal squad after playing 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors match, according to Mikel Arteta's confirmation in a pre-Slavia Prague press conference. Arteta stated that Saliba is in a 'really good place' and is expected to be fully reintegrated into the squad soon, either before or after the upcoming international break. This development is likely to cause a selection headache for Arteta. With Bukayo Saka being the only other current injury, senior players may be left out of matchday squads.

The return of Saliba is expected to impact Ezri Konsa's playing time significantly, as one of the current starting centre-backs will have to play fewer minutes. It is unlikely to be Gabriel Magalhaes, so Konsa is facing a more peripheral role. The discussion has been about how Konsa and Saliba can coexist, with some debating whether Saliba will automatically return to the starting lineup or if Konsa has earned a continued starting spot.

The actual bigger casualty of Saliba's return is likely to be Cristhian Mosquera, who will become the fourth-choice centre-back. With Saliba, Konsa, and Gabriel available, Mosquera's minutes are expected to be limited, potentially to FA Cup matches or a dead rubber Champions League match. Mosquera has been capable when called upon but has been impacted by Konsa's arrival and will likely not be named on the bench on a given matchday.