William Saliba is increasingly being viewed as a possible November return for Arsenal, a development that would hand Mikel Arteta a major defensive boost ahead of a demanding winter schedule.

The centre back has not played since the pain from a long-running back problem became too much to manage. Over the summer, he pushed through Arsenal’s Premier League run-in and their progress to the Champions League final, before eventually being forced off in the World Cup semifinal loss to Spain. Since then, the wait for a clear update has continued, with Arteta only previously describing the issue as “long-term”.

Concerns that Saliba could be out until 2027 now appear to have eased. According to L’Équipe, the France international could be back on the pitch “sometime in November.” That remains a loose timeline, but it is still a more encouraging picture than the one Arsenal feared not long ago.

The report adds that Saliba knows he must not rush himself back. A source said: “He knows he has to take his time. He’s suffered too much and wants to return at 100%” even if Saliba “misses it terribly.”

That caution matters. Saliba has already spent more than two months on the sidelines, and an early return could risk a setback that sends him back into treatment. Arsenal’s upcoming schedule gives little room for error.

Their first major test after the November international break is away to Newcastle United, a ground that has caused them problems in the past. Before last season’s dramatic win there, Arsenal had lost three straight trips to St James’ Park. That match could be followed by a run containing Borussia Dortmund, Man City, Brentford, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Bournemouth and Man Utd, plus Carabao Cup quarterfinals.

Whether Saliba is ready for that stretch or not, Arsenal will be hoping the wait ends soon, but only when he is truly fit.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola says there is hope that Hugo Ekitiké can return to action by the end of January 2027, despite the forward still being some way from full fitness.

His inclusion in Liverpool’s Champions League roster for the league phase raised eyebrows, especially with Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endō left out, but Iraola explained that the decision was made with the medical department after assessing the squad list for Europe.

“I think it’s difficult with these long-term injuries, I think he’s still far [away],” Iraola revealed.

“But we had a meeting with the medical department to analyze when we completed the [squad] list for the European games. There is a reasonable chance that he could help us in the last two games of the group stages.

“But it’s still very early to say. It’s very early because it’s a long-term injury [and] a big part of the rehab [he] is still to meet. But if we decide to put him there, it is because there is a hope and there is a realistic chance that he could help us in January.”

The issue of how to fit Ekitiké and Alexander Isak into the same side has been discussed for more than a year. Liverpool had already spent $106 million (£79 million) on Ekitiké when Isak became the most expensive player in Premier League history.

Former boss Arne Slot was left to solve the problem, although Isak’s early fitness issues and later leg break meant the pair only shared the pitch for 186 minutes across eight appearances.

When Ekitiké does return, he is expected to be eased back as Isak’s deputy. Even so, once fully fit, the 24-year-old is unlikely to be content with a backup role for long.

Slot also suggested another route, saying Ekitiké could operate as a winger alongside Isak. The Frenchman made one appearance on the right side of Liverpool’s attack last season.

Five managers have been named on the shortlist for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year award, also known as the Johan Cruyff Award. It is only the third year the honour has been presented, after Carlo Ancelotti and Luis Enrique collected the first two trophies.

Enrique is on the list again, joined by three other Spanish managers, while the previous two winners both came from Champions League-winning campaigns. That pattern may not continue this time, with the field shaped by very different achievements across domestic and European football.

Unai Emery stands out after steering Aston Villa to their first major trophy in 30 years. Villa won the Europa League, a competition Emery has now claimed for a record-extending fifth time in his career and with three different clubs. He had already taken Villa back into the Champions League for the first time since 1982 in the previous season, and he then added a fourth-place Premier League finish to go with the club’s trophy breakthrough. It was enough to confirm his place among the most important managers in the club’s history.

Vincent Kompany also made a strong case in his second season at Bayern Munich. The German side won the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the German Super Cup, losing only once in a 34-game league campaign. Bayern scored 122 Bundesliga goals, averaging 3.5 per game, as Kompany’s team combined power with control. Their Champions League run ended in a narrow semifinal defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, though they did end their long struggle against Real Madrid by beating them in the quarterfinals.

Mikel Arteta’s case is built on a long-awaited breakthrough for Arsenal. After 22 years, the club finally won the Premier League, with Arteta rewarded in his sixth full season in charge. Arsenal also went unbeaten throughout the Champions League until the final, where they lost on penalties to PSG. Even without the European crown, it was a season that showed clear progress, both at home and abroad.