Mikel Arteta will be worried about Gabriel Martinelli.
Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli picked up a knock whilst on international duty.
Martinelli did not train with Brazil earlier this week due to a muscle issue, and did not feature at all for the Selecao on Tuesday against Peru.
Whilst the 23-year-old’s condition is not thought to be serious, the Gunners will be anxious to have him back in North London and in their own care again.
Martinelli has been showing signs of improvement recently, having been out of form for some time. The attacker has scored in two Premier League outings on the bounce now though, and Mikel Arteta will be desperately hoping that the player is now on the verge of getting back to his best.
Therefore, it would be a disastrous time for Martinelli to be sidelined for a significant period, should his current injury concern prove more serious than initially feared.
Arsenal to assess Gabriel Martinelli
With Brazil’s fixtures for this international interlude now out of the way, Martinelli and his compatriot Gabriel Magalhaes will imminently be returning to the Emirates Stadium.
According to The Standard, Martinelli will be “assessed” by the Arsenal medical staff upon his return to the club.
As per the aforementioned report: “Arsenal have been in contact with the Brazilian FA after learning of Martinelli’s injury… The Gunners will be hoping the winger can be fit for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth.”
Injury issues at Arsenal
Martinelli’s situation is not the only injury problem that will be troubling Arteta.
Bukayo Saka returned to Arsenal early, having sustained a knock whilst representing England. Meanwhile, Takehiro Tomiyasu could be facing another setback, and club captain Martin Odegaard remains sidelined.
On top of that, Kai Havertz is carrying a knee complaint, and will need to be carefully managed.
The Gunners have had several injuries to contend with already this season, testing the strength in depth of Arteta’s squad. So far, Arsenal have overcome these hurdles, as they remain unbeaten in all competitions.
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