Arsenal fear defender Gabriel Magalhães could miss a minimum of a month after suffering a thigh injury while on international duty with Brazil, jeopardising a key stretch of the season for the Premier League leaders.
The 27-year-old limped off during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates last weekend. He returned to London for further assessment, which has confirmed a muscle injury in his right thigh. Testing is ongoing, but Gabriel is already ruled out of Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham and Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
Depending on the severity, Gabriel may miss several more fixtures: Premier League matches against Chelsea, Brentford and Aston Villa, plus the Champions League trip to Club Brugge on 10 December. Arsenal also face Wolves and Everton before Christmas.
The setback is a major blow for Mikel Arteta’s side. Gabriel has played every Premier League minute this season, anchoring a defence that has conceded only five goals in 11 matches and recently produced eight straight clean sheets. New signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are the main candidates to replace him.
Arsenal’s injury concerns don’t end there. Viktor Gyökeres remains doubtful with a hamstring issue, while Kai Havertz has suffered a “minor relapse” in his knee recovery, according to Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann. Captain Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli are also sidelined, stretching Arsenal’s squad during a critical title push.
