As Arsenal gear up for a crucial Champions League showdown with Club Brugge on Wednesday and a Premier League scrap against Wolves this weekend, Mikel Arteta’s squad room remains a revolving door of rehab and returns. Arsenal injury news with defensive bedrock and attacking spark—William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Kai Havertz—have been sidelined, testing the depth Arteta’s built. With the title race heating up, every day counts. Here’s the latest on their timelines, straight from the boss’s presser.
Saliba’s Swift Comeback: A Defensive Lifeline
William Saliba‘s absence has been a gut punch, the French colossus missing the last three outings after a pesky training knock ahead of the Chelsea draw. That rock-solid partnership with Gabriel? Fractured. But good news: Arteta’s “optimistic,” calling it “touch and go” for Brugge, with Saliba set to jet off to Belgium with the squad. Expect him anchoring the backline midweek, freeing Jurrien Timber for right-back duties. Against Wolves? A shoo-in, unless that niggle flares. Arsenal’s clean sheets hinge on his aerial dominance—fingers crossed for no relapses.
Gabriel’s Groin Grief: Patience Required
Big Gabi, the Brazilian bulldog, has been marooned since tweaking his adductor (or hamstring, per reports) in Brazil’s friendly against Senegal last month. Five games ghosted, and he’s not rushing back for Brugge—Arteta’s clear: “Weeks away.” Late December or spilling into January feels realistic, aligning with a festive return to fortify the festive fixtures. In the interim, Riccardo Calafiori or Jakub Kiwior step up, but neither matches Gabriel’s bite. Wolves might see a makeshift duo, but Saliba’s solo shift buys time.
Havertz’s Knee Knockout: A January Horizon
Kai Havertz’s season opener curse lingers—a knee twang versus Manchester United led to surgery and three months on the naughty step. Just one outing in the tank, and he’s “doing well on the pitch,” per Mikel Arteta, but craves match sharpness. Late December whispers, but early January’s the safer bet—post-holiday, primed for a PL resurgence. Without his hold-up play, Gyokeres shoulders extra; a Havertz hail mary for Wolves? Unlikely, but his versatility could jolt the attack.
These Arsenal injury news sting, but Arsenal’s bench—Odegaard’s magic, Saka’s fire—keeps them ticking. Brugge’s chaos (post-Hayen sacking) offers respite; Wolves, a grit test. Arteta’s mantra? “Control what we can.” Returns incoming— the Emirates awaits its warriors.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
