Forget Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Magalhaes, Jakub Kiwior says another Arsenal star’s injury was the most costly in 2024/25

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Arsenal were plagued by injuries throughout the 2024/25 season, with several key players in Mikel Arteta’s squad missing protracted periods.

The likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu all spent multiple months on the sidelines at various points in the campaign.

This undeniably derailed the Gunners’ title charge, with Liverpool ultimately running away with the league and winning it by ten points.

Arteta was forced to deploy makeshift teams on numerous occasions, and his side’s fortunes suffered as a result.

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Jakub Kiwior says Arsenal massively missed Martin Odegaard during his injury

Barring Leandro Trossard, every single Arsenal player sustained an injury at some point in the 2024/25 season.

Bukayo Saka spent three months on the sidelines, and the Gunners’ performances from an offensive standpoint dropped off considerably without the England international.

Meanwhile, imperious defender Gabriel Magalhaes sustained a hamstring tear at the beginning of April and subsequently didn’t feature again.

However, Jakub Kiwior, who benefited from a minutes standpoint from the Brazilian’s setback, believes Odegaard was the most substantial miss.

The Norwegian was absent between September and mid-November, with the Gunners winning just three out of seven league games without him.

“Martin is a real leader on the pitch, and I noticed that most when he was out with an injury,” Kiwior told AFTV.

“We really missed him during that time, because in my opinion, he’s the one who handles tough moments best.

“He knows exactly when to slow the game down and when to speed it up with a pass. Off the pitch, he’s also a great person—very talkative and supportive in the dressing room.”

Without Odegaard, Arteta opted to deploy Havertz and Trossard together as a front two.

This worked briefly, before Arsenal lost their creative spark without their chief playmaker, and results started to spiral.

What Jakub Kiwior said about Mikel Arteta

Gabriel’s injury was certainly a major blow for Arsenal, but it did open the way for Kiwior to blossom.

The Pole excelled in the run-in, starting both legs of the Gunners’ triumph against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final.

Citing Arteta and the coaching staff as playing significant roles in helping him improve, Kiwior waxed lyrical about the Spaniard and his entourage.

“There have been many pieces of advice, mostly regarding tactical aspects,” he said.

“They’ve really helped me read the game better and anticipate situations more easily.

“But it’s not just Mikel Arteta who supports me in this regard—I also work closely with the coach responsible for the defenders, and his input is extremely helpful too.”