Injury Setback for Arsenal Ahead of North London Derby

Arsenal faces a significant setback ahead of the highly anticipated North London derby, as key defender Gabriel Magalhães has been ruled out for several weeks due to a thigh injury.

The 27-year-old defender, who has been integral to Arsenal’s defense this season—having contributed to a record of only five goals conceded in the Premier League—sustained the injury while representing Brazil. He limped off during a friendly match against Senegal held at the Emirates Stadium over the weekend, a venue familiar to him.

Manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Gabriel will be unavailable for the upcoming clash against Tottenham and for the foreseeable future. “Gabriel, unfortunately, picked up an injury with the Brazilian national team, and he’s going to be out for weeks,” Arteta stated. He added that another scan is scheduled for next Wednesday, which will provide more clarity regarding Gabriel’s recovery timeline.

In Gabriel’s absence, Piero Hincapié and Cristhian Mosquera are both potential candidates to step in during the match against Spurs. “It’s clearly a blow because he’s our leader in our backline, and to me, it’s never a positive thing,” Arteta remarked. However, he expressed confidence in the depth of the squad, stating, “The good thing is that we have very good options, and people have to stand up now and do the job.”

In addition to Gabriel, several other players, including Viktor Gyokores, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, and captain Martin Ødegaard, have recently dealt with injuries. Arteta remains hopeful for positive updates regarding some of these players before Sunday’s match. “We put a lot of energy during the international break with all the medical staff to try to bring them back as quickly as possible,” he noted. “Tomorrow we have another training session to assess how they are feeling and whether they can contribute to the game.”

Meanwhile, winger Bukayo Saka is reportedly in discussions regarding a new contract, with his current deal set to expire in 2027. “What I’m very aware of is that he wants to continue with us and that he’s very happy being in the place where he wants to achieve everything together,” Arteta said, deferring the contract negotiations to sporting director Andrea Berta and the club’s management.