Arsenal and France defender William Saliba has missed a training session with Les Bleus as concerns over his fitness ahead of the World Cup continue to grow.

The 25-year-old has been managing a back injury for several weeks, casting doubt over his involvement in what promises to be a high-stakes summer tournament in North America.

Saliba has been central to Arsenal’s Premier League title-winning campaign, establishing himself as one of the finest centre-backs in world football heading into this tournament.

France are considered among the favourites to lift the trophy, and Saliba was expected to be a cornerstone of Didier Deschamps’ defensive setup throughout the competition.

The Frenchman played the full 120 minutes of Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on May 30, a result that added further strain to his already troublesome back.

French publication L’Equipe reported that Saliba missed Thursday’s training session with the national squad, with Adrien Rabiot also absent from the session.

Saliba was not involved in France’s 2-1 loss to the Ivory Coast but did start and play 45 minutes in the 3-1 win over Northern Ireland before the squad travelled to the United States.

He has only trained twice with the France squad since linking up with them a week ago, though he was passed fit to make the flight to the United States on Wednesday.

The defender has undergone scans on his back and received treatment, and reports suggest he is in considerably less pain than he was following the Champions League final last month.

Speaking to Telefoot ahead of the Northern Ireland match, Deschamps offered a measured update on the situation surrounding his key defensive player.

The France manager said: “He [Saliba] is being looked after by the medical staff, and we are also managing him based on how he feels.”

Deschamps added: “But it’s something he’s had for several weeks and it hasn’t prevented him from playing every match with Arsenal, including that final for 120 minutes.”

Les Bleus open their World Cup campaign on Tuesday, June 16, against Senegal, before further group stage fixtures against Iraq and Norway.

With tournament football now just days away, the coming training sessions will be crucial in determining whether Saliba is ready to play a full role for his country.

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