Ezri Konsa has returned to Arsenal for further assessment after being ruled out of England’s Nations League meeting with Czechia on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old has left Thomas Tuchel’s squad alongside Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, reducing England’s group to 22 players for their final match of the international break.
The Football Association confirmed both players had returned to their respective clubs after being deemed unavailable for the Wembley fixture.
Konsa’s withdrawal will be a concern for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Leeds United.
The centre-back had already experienced a fitness issue earlier in the international window, missing an England training session because of a minor muscle problem.
He recovered sufficiently to play the full 90 minutes in England’s 7-0 Nations League victory over Croatia but has now suffered another setback.
Reports suggest Konsa has aggravated the problem, although the precise nature and severity of his latest issue have not yet been confirmed.
He will now be assessed by Arsenal’s medical staff before a decision is made over his availability against Leeds.
Konsa has quickly become an important part of Arteta’s defensive options since completing a summer move from Aston Villa worth up to £55 million.
Arsenal paid an initial £51m plus a potential £4m in add-ons for the England international, who signed a four-year contract with an option for another season.
The defender has already made six appearances for the Gunners and has frequently partnered Gabriel Magalhaes in central defence.
His fitness is particularly important because William Saliba remains sidelined with the back problem that has kept him out since the World Cup.
There has at least been better news elsewhere in Arsenal’s defence during the international break.
Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie have all returned to training as Arteta prepares his squad for the resumption of domestic football.
Mosquera had missed Arsenal’s previous three Premier League fixtures with a hamstring problem, while White and Hincapie have also been working their way back from injuries.
Those returns could prove particularly timely if Konsa is unable to recover before Leeds visit the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal will now hope the decision to withdraw him from England duty was precautionary and that further examinations do not reveal a significant problem.