Arsenal fear that defender 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 during a crucial stretch of the season.
The 27-year-old limped off during Brazil’s 2–0 win over Senegal at the Emirates last Saturday. After initial scans confirmed a muscle injury in his right thigh, Gabriel returned to Arsenal for further testing, which is still ongoing. While the club has not formally announced a timeline, he is already ruled out of the north London derby against Tottenham on Sunday and the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich shortly after.
Depending on the severity, Gabriel could miss several key fixtures, including Premier League matches against Chelsea, Brentford, and Aston Villa, as well as the Champions League trip to Club Brugge on 10 December. Arsenal then face Wolves before their rearranged match at Everton on 20 December.
Gabriel’s absence is a significant setback for Mikel Arteta. The centre-back has played every Premier League minute this season and is central to a defence that has conceded only five goals in 11 games while producing eight straight clean sheets across competitions before the draw at Sunderland. New signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are options to fill in.
Arsenal’s selection worries extend beyond Gabriel. There is uncertainty over striker Viktor Gyökeres, who missed the last two games before the break with a hamstring issue. Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann said Kai Havertz suffered a “minor relapse” in his knee recovery and is expected back toward the end of the year. Captain Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke, and Gabriel Martinelli also remain sidelined.
Despite spending more than £250m on reinforcements in the summer, Arsenal’s squad is once again being stretched at a pivotal moment in their title push.
