Mikel Arteta has confirmed William Saliba is ready to make his Arsenal return after coming through a behind-closed-doors friendly without any setbacks.

Saliba has not played since he was forced off in France's World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain.

A serious back injury has required a significant period of rest, after specialists advised in the summer that surgery was not required.

Saliba is back in full training and he has travelled with the Arsenal squad for their Champions League match against Slavia Prague on Wednesday.

"He's in a really good place," Arteta said on Tuesday.

"The process and the timings and the manner that the injury has been dealt with, especially the feelings that Willy has been having along the way, they have been very, very positive.

"His evolution has been as expected, which is not always the case. He feels really comfortable.

"He played 45 minutes behind closed doors last week. He feels ready to go. Whether we use him or not now is a matter of what the team needs."

Arsenal are expected to be cautious with Saliba's return to competitive action, particularly with Ezri Konsa impressing alongside Gabriel so far this season.

However, Arteta played down the suggestion that he will drip-feed Saliba his minutes to get up to speed, warning the defender that he expects him to be available to play a full role for the team.

"Now you're in or not," the Spaniard said.

"Now he's in. He's in like anybody else. All the preparation has been done to make sure all the load and all the steps have been done to minimise the risk.

"He's in a really good place, he's built the capacity that we needed. Now it's about giving him minutes.

"He's a centre-back. When that's the case, it's not like an attacking midfielder or a No9 you can change. A centre-back normally has to be able to play 90 minutes.

"That's why all the preparation that we have done to build him."

Since Cristhian Mosquera picked up an injury at Villa Park in August, Konsa has been an ever-present alongside Gabriel in the heart of Arsenal's defence.

He has been one of the team's best players so far this season and starred again on Sunday in the win over Liverpool at Anfield.

It has raised the question of what Arteta will do with Konsa once Saliba is ready to start on a regular basis.

"So far we haven't had that luxury - I wouldn't call it a problem," Arteta said.

"The moment they are fit and available, we're going to have opportunities to load the players and manage their congestion in a better way than we've done it.

"Ezri can play as a full-back. I think his main position is centre-back. He can play right or left, Willy has done the same with the national team and here at Arsenal.

"That's going to be something really positive for the team."