Arsenal fear defender Gabriel Magalhães could be sidelined for at least a month after suffering a thigh injury while on international duty with Brazil, ruling him out of several key fixtures in a critical stretch of the season.
The 27-year-old limped off during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium and has since undergone further assessment back at Arsenal. While the club has not confirmed an exact timeline, early indications suggest he will miss the north London derby against Tottenham on Sunday and the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich shortly after.
Depending on his recovery, Gabriel could also be absent for league matches against Chelsea, Brentford, and Aston Villa, as well as the Champions League trip to Club Brugge on 10 December. Arsenal, four points clear at the top of the Premier League, would be without a player who has featured in every minute of their league campaign and been central to a defence that has conceded just five goals in 11 games.
New signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are options to step in for the derby. Up front, concerns also remain over Viktor Gyökeres, who missed the final two matches before the break with a hamstring injury.
Adding to Arsenal’s injury worries, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann confirmed Kai Havertz has had a “minor relapse” during his knee recovery, delaying his return until later in the year. With Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli also unavailable, Mikel Arteta’s squad is being stretched at a crucial moment in their title pursuit.
