Saliba returns to training as Arteta weighs Arsenal's defensive options

William Saliba has returned to full training with Arsenal and travelled with the squad to face Slavia Prague in the Champions League, having missed the entire season so far because of a back injury.

The France defender withdrew early from his country's World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain and was subsequently sent for a specialist assessment. Surgery was ruled out, but he was told he faced a lengthy rehabilitation with no fixed return date set, according to BBC Football.

Arteta is confident Saliba is ready to feature again after the 25-year-old played 45 minutes behind closed doors last week, Guardian Football reported. Whether he is risked in Prague after such a long absence remains to be seen, though the manager has voiced no doubts over his readiness.

Saliba's comeback presents Arteta with a selection puzzle rather than a problem. In his absence, summer signing Ezri Konsa has formed a formidable central pairing with Gabriel Magalhaes since arriving from Aston Villa for £55m, helping Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League table.

Arsenal have again fielded the division's tightest defence this season, conceding just five goals in nine games, figures cited by BBC Football that underline how seamlessly Konsa has filled the void left by Saliba.

That consistency echoes last season's title triumph, when Saliba and Gabriel formed the bedrock of a defence that conceded only 27 league goals as Arsenal won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years. Saliba was named in the PFA team of the year for the fourth successive campaign on the back of that form.

Arsenal have repeatedly stressed they will manage Saliba's reintroduction carefully, but his restored fitness now leaves Arteta choosing between continuity and the return of a player who was central to the club's recent success.

The trip to Czechia also carries significance for 16-year-old Max Dowman, who is pushing for a starting role after a recent domestic setback. A red card against Fleetwood brought a three-match ban that rules him out of Premier League action until 29 November, sharpening his focus on European football, Yahoo Sports reported.

The Slavia Prague ground holds personal meaning for Dowman. A year ago to the day, he became the youngest player to appear in the Champions League, aged 15 years and 308 days, during a 3-0 Arsenal win on the same pitch.

Arteta played down any lasting impact from the sending-off, framing it as part of the midfielder's development. "That's a chapter that is gone. It's a moment of learning from all of us, and we move on," he said.

He added: "You learn from the not-so-good ones, you have to make sure you learn from the great ones as well. And he's been engaged."

Arsenal's immediate focus is the Champions League fixture against Slavia Prague, with a congested festive schedule following soon after, a period in which Arteta's defensive options and Dowman's continental opportunities are both likely to be tested.