Mikel Arteta gives Arsenal fans fresh injury hope saying William Saliba could be fit for pre-season

Mikel Arteta has given Arsenal fans hope for next season by revealing that William Saliba could be fit to start pre-season.

Saliba was a pivotal part of the Gunners’ defence which saw the side soar up the Premier League table in the first half of their campaign.

The centre back has been out since suffering a back injury in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 defeat to Sporting CP on March 16.

The Arsenal manager said: ‘It’s too early to say, it’s evolving the right way.

‘The last few weeks have been more positive than the previous two months, but we wanted to protect him. It was an injury that needs some caring and attention.

Mikel Arteta has claimed that William Saliba (pictured) could be fit in time to start pre-season 

The Gunners suffered a major set back in their title charge after Saliba (left) suffered a back injury back in march and has not played since 

But his manager (pictured) gave the fans positive news today, while also revealing that the club had not been taking any chances his fitness to give him the best chance of playing next season

‘We have been pretty conservative to give him the best possible chance to have a good pre-season and go again next season.’

Injuries aside, having reached the end of an up-and-down year for their fans and players alike, Arteta admitted he has criticised himself for not getting the best out of the whole squad.

When asked about giving opportunities to all his players, he said: ‘ My job is to get the best out of 24 players that we have available and I haven’t been able to do that.

‘There are still players who have great potential and we haven’t been able to do that. There are different reasons, whether it’s injuries, whether it’s game time, whether I haven’t had the opportunity or I haven’t been able to play them enough.

‘We have to look for those margins because we have those margins and our job is to make them better.’

He also rallied his men to ‘finish the season in style’ after a Premier League campaign which he believes has been the toughest in 22 years.

The north-London club play their final game against Wolves on Sunday.

Arsenal unveiled their new kit for the 2023-24 season earlier today, which pays homage to the 20th anniversary of the ‘Invincibles’ title-winning season  

Despite faltering to Nottingham Forest last weekend, gifting Manchester city the Premier League title, the Arsenal boss called on his players to ‘finish the season in style’

Arteta said: ‘We have to wrap it up in the best way, it’s been some journey full of emotions’

He added: ‘Now is about finishing the season in style and providing a great performance and a victory in front of our people.

‘Show our gratitude and receive a lot of the incredible energy that they have given us throughout the season and start to build for the next season.

‘We have to wrap it up in the best possible way, it’s been some journey full of emotions and something to look forward to which at the end we haven’t achieved.

‘Looking with a bit of perspective, there are a lot of things not only on the field that happened at the club that deserves a lot of credit for a lot of people.’