Arsenal rocked by Gabriel injury scare on international duty as Arteta sweats

Aaron Ramsdale left sweating over Arsenal future as Mikel Arteta turns to David Raya

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is sweating on the fitness of Gabriel Magalhaes after the Gunners star suffered a potential injury setback while playing for Brazil. The defender was seen receiving treatment on his right leg after being substituted during a World Cup qualifier against Bolivia.

Gabriel impressed during the 5-1 Brazil victory. He would have been keen to work his way into caretaker head coach Fernando Diniz’s plans after being left out of the World Cup squad last year by former boss Tite.

However, Arsenal fans were concerned when the 25-year-old was seen receiving treatment in the 85th minute. Having been taken off, cameras panned to Gabriel being tended to by physios while sat in the dugout.

The medics seemed to be applying ice to the former Lille star’s right knee. It would be yet another defensive injury for Arteta.

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Arsenal have already lost Thomas Partey to a long-term injury. The Ghanaian has suffered a groin problem that could keep him out for a while.

Partey had started the season at right-back, meaning Ben White and William Saliba kept Gabriel out of the team at centre-back. But Partey’s injury has seen the defender reprise his role alongside Saliba, with White pushed out to the right of the back four.

Having been used as a substitute in Arsenal’s first two Premier League games, Gabriel has started their other two fixtures. Reports of a failed pursuit of the star by Saudi outfit Al-Ittihad disrupted the start to his campaign.

Speaking on August 26, Arteta insisted that Gabriel knew the reason he was not starting matches, despite having played in all 38 Premier League games last season. The Arsenal boss was unsure if the player accepted the judgement.

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Arteta said: “Gabi will play a lot of games, I’m sure and it’s about bringing the competition high and try to make the team play better, better, better and better and be more dominant and win more games. That’s the purpose of all of us.”

Asked if he has explained the reasons to Gabriel, Arteta replied: “Yeah, especially someone that has played a lot of minutes and games with us in the last year.

“I don’t know if he understands but I told him. I think he understands the reason, whether he agrees or not, that’s something different. But the best way to do it is when you play, just tell me how blind I’m wrong, I am.”

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