Bukayo Saka, William Saliba & Declan Riceplaceholder image
Bukayo Saka, William Saliba & Declan Rice | Getty Images
The latest Arsenal team news and injury updates with 12 players out or doubts for their FA Cup quarter-final match against Southampton.
No Premier League team saw more players withdraw from international duty this past week than Arsenal, who saw no fewer than ten players leave their nations’ squads either before or during the break – hardly ideal preparation for a pair of massive matches against Southampton and Sporting.
Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke all withdrew from the England squad at various points, while William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Piero Hincapié, Leandro Trossard, Jurriën Timber and Martín Zubimendi abandoned their respective national sides due to fitness problems.
Such a lengthy list of withdrawals has bred a degree of cynicism about whether Arsenal may have leant on their players to prioritise their club’s run-in as they battle to win their first silverware in six years – so with kick-off in the FA Cup and Champions League quarter-finals fast approaching, we’ve taken a look at the 12 players affected by fitness issues and which of them seem likely to miss time.
Bukayo Saka & Declan Rice among Arsenal worries after international break
Both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka ended up withdrawing from the England squad in the middle of the international break despite having already been given extra time to rest ahead of the defeat to Japan – with both players set to undergo further medical assessment ahead of the Southampton match.
In Saka’s case, the withdrawal was believed to be solely related to tiredness rather than a specific injury concern, but Thomas Tuchel raised some concern about Rice’s availability after telling the media that he had been sent home after feeling “discomfort.” Rice is among the players who could well be rested for the FA Cup quarter-final in order to keep them fresh to face Sporting.
There is greater concern over the fitness of winger Noni Madueke, who started England’s game against Uruguay but had to be substituted shortly before half-time due to an injury to his left knee. Tuchel played down concerns shortly after the match, however, telling the press that “the assessment… was slightly better than his feeling. He will be out for some days.”
That suggests a relatively minor injury, but Madueke remains a serious doubt ahead of the trip to St. Mary’s. Eberechi Eze, meanwhile, is expected to miss a total of between four and six weeks due to a calf injury he picked up against Bayer Leverkusen. The most optimistic timeline would likely see him return in time for the home match against Newcastle on 25 April, although he may not return until May in the worst-case scenario.
Among the other attacking players who missed out on international matches this week were Leandro Trossard, who pulled out of Belgium’s squad to rehabilitate an unspecified minor injury, and club captain Martin Ødegaard, who was not selected by Norway due to a knee issue. Trossard is likely to be sufficiently fit to play this weekend if needed, while Ødegaard is believed to be targeting the Premier League game against Bournemouth next weekend for his comeback.
Saliba, Gabriel, Timber and more among defensive doubts
A host of Arsenal’s best defensive players also pulled out of international duty over the past week, including William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães, who are suffering from injuries to the left ankle and right knee respectively.
While their withdrawals from France and Brazil duty were believed to be largely precautionary, both are carrying minor problems and could be rested against Southampton. France’s medical team provided an update suggesting that Saliba would need a rest period of 10 days, however, which would put him in contention to face the Saints if required.
Jurriën Timber, meanwhile, pulled out of the Dutch squad before their recent friendly matches after missing the EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester City with an ankle issue. Mikel Arteta has expressed hope that Timber will be available to play after the international break, but that remains unconfirmed at the time of writing.
Piero Hincapié also left the Ecuador squad after playing against Morocco due to an unspecified injury. The nature of the problem has not yet been revealed and no timeline has been placed on his return – it is unclear whether he will play any part over the coming week.
The final player to leave his international squad over the recent break was midfielder Martín Zubimendi, who suffered a knee injury after coming on as a late substitute for Spain against Serbia. Zubimendi has been seen at Colney with strapping on his knee – a return date has not yet been provided but he appears to be a serious doubt for the weekend. His compatriot and fellow midfielder Mikel Merino remains out due to a stress fracture in his foot and currently appears unlikely to play for Arsenal again this season.
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