What ‘sources’ are now saying about Riccardo Calafiori’s injury as Arsenal star leaves Italy camp

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Arsenal have endured a spate of recent injuries. 

Arsenal will be without a number of key players when they take on Tottenham Hotspur next time out. 

Summer signing Mikel Merino picked up an injury in his first Arsenal training session. Takehiro Tomiyasu is also still sidelined, and Gabriel Jesus is facing a race against time to reach full fitness ahead of the North London derby. 

Club captain Martin Odegaard is facing a fitness concern too. What’s more, Riccardo Calafiori picked up a knock whilst on international duty, as the Italian defender limped off during his side’s 3-1 Nations League win over France. 

On top of all that, Mikel Arteta will not be able to call upon Declan Rice against Spurs either, as the midfielder will be serving a one-match suspension, having been sent off against Brighton last time out. 

However, there may be some positive news for the North London outfit concerning Calafiori.

• READ MORE: The top five most injured Arsenal players in 2023/24

Fabrizio Romano hands Arsenal injury update on Riccardo Calafiori

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, reporting on X: “Sources insist Riccardo Calafiori injury is not serious and it’s just a knock, nothing worrying.

“Arsenal also didn’t want Calafiori to take any risk and he will be assessed next week.”

Arteta will hope that this means that Calafiori shall be ruled capable of playing a least some part against Spurs, though the Gunners will not want to take an unnecessary risk and chance making his current injury worse by rushing him back.

Bringing the defender back to North London at this time was a sensible decision, and the cautious approach will continue.

How Arsenal will adapt against Tottenham

It seems unlikely that Calafiori will be in contention to start in the North London derby. Fortunately, Arteta has a plethora of alternative left-back options available to him. Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Jakub Kiwior will go head-to-head for the starting berth in that part of the pitch. 

The manager faces a trickier selection task in the middle of the park, though. There are multiple solutions Arteta may consider for his depleted midfield contingent.

Above all, given the fact that this is a grudge match against the Gunners’ fiercest rivals, the Spanish coach needs to select a side capable of coping with the physicality, intensity, and pressure of the fixture.