Arsenal fear that Gabriel Magalhães could miss a minimum of one month after suffering a thigh injury on international duty with Brazil, dealing a major blow to the Premier League leaders.
The defender limped off during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, later returning to London for further assessment. Early scans confirmed a muscle injury in his right thigh, and although testing is ongoing, 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 could be sidelined for over a month. That would see him miss Premier League fixtures against Chelsea, Brentford, Aston Villa, and Wolves, as well as the Champions League trip to Club Brugge on 10 December. Arsenal then visit Everton on 20 December.
Losing Gabriel, who has played every Premier League minute this season, is a major setback for a defence that has conceded only five goals in 11 matches and recently enjoyed an eight-game clean-sheet streak. New signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are in contention to replace him.
Arsenal’s injury concerns do not stop there. Viktor Gyökeres is still recovering from a hamstring issue, while captain Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke, and Gabriel Martinelli are also out. Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann revealed Kai Havertz has suffered a “minor relapse” in his knee recovery and is not expected back until late December.
With a four-point lead over Manchester City, Arsenal now face navigating a crucial part of the season with a stretched squad.
