Arsenal fear that defender Gabriel Magalhães could be sidelined for a month or more after suffering a thigh injury while playing for Brazil, potentially ruling him out of several major fixtures during a crucial stretch of the season.
The 27-year-old limped off during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium last Saturday. Scans have confirmed a muscle injury in his right thigh, and while testing is ongoing, Gabriel is not expected to feature in Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham or in Arsenal’s Champions League tie with Bayern Munich next week.
Depending on the severity, Gabriel could also miss league matches against Chelsea, Brentford and Aston Villa, as well as the Champions League trip to Club Brugge on 10 December. Arsenal then host Wolves before visiting Everton later in the month.
The timing is a major setback for the Premier League leaders. Gabriel has played every minute of their league campaign so far and has been central to a defence that has conceded just five goals in 11 matches. New signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are candidates to fill in against Spurs.
Arsenal also face uncertainty up front, with striker Viktor Gyökeres still recovering from a hamstring issue that kept him out before the international break. Meanwhile, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed Kai Havertz has suffered a “minor relapse” in his knee injury recovery, delaying his return until later this year.
With captain Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli also out, Mikel Arteta’s squad depth is being seriously tested as the team tries to maintain its title push.
