Arsenal's annual team photo for the 2026/27 season has surprisingly sparked a backlash among fans due to the absence of crucial centre-back William Saliba.
The club stated that the French defender could not attend the shoot because of a scheduled medical appointment. Saliba played a monumental role in last season's achievements, featuring in 50 matches (48 of which he started), helping the Gunners clinch the Premier League title and reaching the Champions League final, where they were narrowly defeated by PSG on penalties. Fans deemed the release of the photo without their key defender disrespectful and demanded a reshoot.
This wave of criticism on social media prompted manager Mikel Arteta to clarify the situation publicly. The Spaniard explained that the club found itself bound by stringent commercial obligations:
The truth is we tried to take this photo three times, but for various reasons, we had to cancel each shoot at the last moment. We have certain commercial commitments, and people came in specifically for this, so we decided to go ahead with at least this version.
We will definitely take another photo with all our family later. I hope one day we can gather everyone together and announce it officially. This wasn’t William’s fault. Generally, he’s happy; he knows how much he is loved in the squad. The lads were having a bit of fun with him about it, so he’s absolutely fine.
Currently, the 25-year-old defender is continuing his rehabilitation process following a back injury that troubled him at the end of last season and flared up during the World Cup semi-final, where France lost to Spain. Saliba has begun individual training on the pitch, but several weeks remain until his full return to action.
