Arsenal fear Gabriel could be out until JANUARY with injured star facing further tests

Arsenal will be without key defender Gabriel for the North London derby and the defender could even be sidelined until 2026 with the thigh injury he picked up on Brazil duty

Arsenal fear Gabriel Magalhaes could be out until January after limping off during Brazil's friendly. Early fears suggest that the 27-year-old will miss a minimum of four weeks, though the centre-half will undergo further tests.

Gabriel suffered a thigh injury and could not complete Brazil's match against Senegal. The defender featured as his nation played at the Emirates but was forced off the field and appeared in visible discomfort as he made his exit, having already warmed up separately as part of his load management.

According to BBC Sport, Gabriel is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks but could be absent until early 2026 depending on the severity of the issue. That means Arsenal's star defender would miss a series of key matches against the likes of Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

A statement from Brazil confirmed: "Arsenal player Gabriel Magalhaes was re-evaluated this Sunday and underwent imaging tests that revealed a muscle injury in his right thigh.

“Therefore, the player will not travel with the team for the match against Tunisia in Lille. No other player will be called up to replace him.”

At club level, Gabriel has formed a formidable world-class partnership with William Saliba at the heart of Arsenal's defence. Mikel Arteta will not have to prepare without him for the North London Derby.

The Spaniard will be relieved that his side moved in the transfer window to add new central defensive options. Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera both arrived in the summer and will be in contention for Gabriel's spot.

Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti apologised for the nation's part in adding an injury concern. The Italian was disappointed his charge has been impacted. "Bad? I don't know, he had a problem on his adductor, the medical staff have to check tomorrow," Ancelotti said in his press conference. "We are really sorry for this, really disappointed, when players have an injury I hope they can recover well and soon."

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has offered an update on Kai Havertz. The injured Arsenal star is apparently due back 'towards the end of the year', despite a setback.

“Kai had a minor relapse, but overall he’s doing well,” Nagelsmann said. “Jamal [Musiala] no longer has any major problems. But like Kai, he first needs to get back into rhythm with his club.”

“They have until March to get fully fit, but they obviously need to stabilise now,” he added.

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