Arsenal may be the reigning Premier League champions, but there is already a shadow over their title defence ahead of the 2026-27 season.

After years of falling agonisingly short, Arsenal finally won the 2025-26 Premier League title. Having finished runners-up in three consecutive seasons, Mikel Arteta’s side finally got over the line and ended Manchester City’s dominance. The next challenge, however,  is even tougher: defending the title, and Arsenal’s Premier League trophy defence is already facing major problems before a ball has even been kicked.

The biggest concern is William Saliba. The French defender suffered a serious back injury during France’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain and was forced off after visibly struggling. Television cameras caught Saliba repeatedly indicating that something was wrong with his back, and subsequent reports have suggested he suffered a spinal injury that is expected to require surgery. 

🚨BREAKING: William Saliba is expected to undergo surgery to heal his case of chronic back pain.

Arsenal expect the France centre back to be out of action for 4 to 5 months.

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If those reports prove accurate, Saliba could be sidelined for the next two to three months, ruling him out of the opening weeks of Arsenal’s title defence.

Losing Saliba is a huge blow. The French international has become one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs and is arguably Arsenal’s most important defender. His partnership with Gabriel at the heart of the defence has been one of the foundations of the club’s recent success, and replacing his consistency will not be straightforward, particularly with crucial league fixtures arriving early in the campaign.

Bukayo Saka is another concern. Although the winger ended the World Cup on a high by scoring a hat-trick in England’s third-place victory over France, he was far from fully fit throughout the tournament. Saka missed matches because of fitness issues and was carefully managed by England’s medical staff. 

The World Cup may be over, but there is still uncertainty over whether he will return to Arsenal in peak condition.

That situation becomes even more significant considering Arsenal have already sold Leandro Trossard. While Christos Tzolis has arrived to strengthen the attacking options, replacing one of the squad’s most reliable forwards is not an easy task. Arsenal will still depend heavily on Saka, who has repeatedly delivered in the biggest moments and remains one of the first names on Arteta’s team sheet.

Declan Rice presents another worrying case. Few players have played as much football over the past year as the England midfielder. 

Rice featured in almost every Premier League and Champions League match for Arsenal during the 2025-26 campaign before going on to start virtually every game for England at the World Cup, including the third-place playoff, where he produced a goal and an assist. His workload has been extraordinary.

There have been signs that Rice has been managing physical problems for months. Throughout last season, he played through recurring niggles and minor injuries, while England manager Thomas Tuchel even admitted during the World Cup that he did not believe the midfielder was fully fit. 

Despite that, Rice continued playing almost every minute of England’s campaign, raising concerns about fatigue heading into another demanding club season. Comparisons have already been made to players like Pedri, whose enormous workloads eventually caught up with them.

With less than five weeks until the new Premier League season begins, Arsenal find themselves facing injury concerns involving three of their most influential players. Saliba could miss the opening months, Saka is still working his way back to full fitness, and Rice desperately needs rest after an exhausting year. 

Arsenal, however, remain favourites to challenge once again, but if they are to successfully defend their Premier League crown, getting their biggest stars healthy may prove just as important as any signing they make this summer.