Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will take a new team photograph including William Saliba after the defender’s surprise absence from the one published this week.
Arsenal supporters were left baffled by Saliba’s omission from the official 2026/27 picture as Arsenal revealed he was unavailable to attend due to a medical appointment.
Saliba is yet to play this season because of a back injury but the 25-year-old remains a key player, having made 184 appearances for the club, which heightened the intrigue around his omission.
“What happened was that we have tried to do that picture three times already and we had to cancel it last minute for different reasons,” explained Arteta ahead of Arsenal’s away trip to Nottingham Forest, live on Sky Sports on Sunday.
“We had some commercial obligations, we had some people who flew over to do that, so we decided to do that picture.
“We will have another picture with the whole family.
“Hopefully we can get them all together at some point one day, and we’ll announce that as well.”
Arteta replied “yes” when asked to confirm that Arsenal planned to retake the picture and insisted Saliba was “completely fine” about the situation.
He said: “Well, it wasn’t in his hands. But Willy is normally happy about everything. He knows how loved he is. He was taking some banter from the players and he is completely fine.”
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Saliba resumed training on the grass earlier this month and Arteta added that he is progressing positively, with a scan scheduled for next week as he edges closer to a return to action.
“I think next week we have another MRI with him to see how the healing process is going,” he said.
“But every sign so far has been very, very positive. It will be good to have him.”
Arteta added that Martin Zubimendi is in contention to return against Forest after injuring himself in the warm-down following the Leeds game along with Piero Hincapie, who will be out for another one or two weeks.
Christos Tzolis, meanwhile, underwent an MRI scan on Thursday to assess his recovery from the hamstring injury he suffered on international duty with Greece.
“It’s progressing really well,” Arteta added of the winger. “Another one that hopefully we can have back in a few weeks.”
Arteta ‘far from happy’ about photo gaffe
Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill at Arsenal’s training ground:
When it comes to facing tricky questions, Mikel Arteta has things easier right now than his counterparts on both sides of Manchester, but it’s not all plain sailing at Arsenal.
In a week of warm-down injuries, incomplete team photos and job-cut announcements, the Arsenal manager knew there would be some tricky issues to deal with.
As if that wasn’t enough, the off-field issues continued as the tough questions started.
A few minutes into the news conference the microphone under Mikel’s mouth stopped working.
It meant his answer underlining that Arsenal are no longer the set piece kings – 20 of their 21 goals so far this season have come from open play – had to be repeated.
Also to be repeated is the team photo.
This time “with all the family included”.
It will be retaken after Saliba was left out of the line-up published this week.
Arteta went into detail about how it happened. But is clearly mystified as to why it happened. And, I understand, far from happy about it behind the scenes.
Nevertheless he spoke with good humour and a smile on his face, saying Saliba was fine about what happened.
Arteta’s demeanour was very different, of course. when it came to my inevitable question about the Arsenal “restructuring” announced this week. Sixty jobs will go around the club.
He made the point twice that he’s not the person to answer such questions, but he gave an answer anyway, saying such decisions have to be taken so the club can evolve and achieve its aims.
