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Arsenal have made another strong start to the Premier League season, but the international break has left Mikel Arteta with several injury concerns.
The defending champions collected 12 points from their opening five matches and sit second in the table.
Four consecutive victories were followed by a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Brighton, where Arsenal delivered comfortably their weakest performance of the campaign.
Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Arteta will now want an immediate response when Leeds visit the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
However, his preparations have been complicated by a damaging international period.
Christos Tzolis has returned to north London after suffering a hamstring injury while representing Greece against the Netherlands. The winger lasted only 18 minutes before being replaced and was clearly upset as he received treatment.
Initial reports have suggested Tzolis suffered a small tear and could miss between two and three weeks, so he is therefore expected to sit out the Leeds game and may also be unavailable for the trip to Nottingham Forest.
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|Arsenal's current injury list|
|Player|Injury or issue|Current status|Possible return|
|---|
|William Saliba|Back injury|Running again but remains unavailable|November or later|
|Christos Tzolis|Minor hamstring tear|Expected to miss the next two to three weeks|Everton, 24 October|
|Kai Havertz|Muscular or hamstring problem|Under assessment and expected to miss Leeds|Late October or early November|
|Ezri Konsa|Quad knock or dead leg|Returned from England duty and remains doubtful|Leeds, 10 October|
|Declan Rice|Hamstring discomfort and load management|No major concern and likely to be available|Leeds, 10 October|
|Ben White|Groin injury|Back in training|Leeds, 10 October|
|Cristhian Mosquera|Thigh injury|Back in training|Leeds, 10 October|
|Piero Hincapié|Muscular problem|Has resumed training but still building fitness|Leeds, 10 October|
|Max Dowman|Contact injury|Withdrawn from England Under-19 duty, but issue is not considered serious|To be confirmed|
Arsenal will conduct their own assessment, but the early signs indicate that Tzolis could be targeting the home meeting with Everton on October 24 for his return.
The timing is frustrating because the summer signing had started to settle into Arteta’s side, with his speed and willingness to attack defenders giving Arsenal a natural threat from the left side.
Tzolis is not the only concern, either.
REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw
Kai Havertz also returned early from Germany duty and could be absent for a few weeks.
Meanwhile, Declan Rice withdrew from the England squad, although his situation is not currently considered serious, while Ezri Konsa came home after picking up a knock.
Martin Ødegaard required checks following a heavy challenge but avoided a major injury, and William Saliba remains sidelined with a back problem, while Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié have also been working towards full fitness.
REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
The growing injury list has provided another reminder of how quickly Arsenal’s attacking depth can be tested.
It may also help explain why plans for the January transfer window are already beginning to take shape.
Arsenal preparing 'fresh move' for RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa
REUTERS/Mike Segar
According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are preparing a fresh move for RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa, who also impressed at the World Cup, after considering him during the summer.
The report claims the Gunners have started laying the groundwork for another attacking addition, with a left-sided winger viewed as the priority, and the 'exciting' Nusa has reportedly moved towards the top of their January shortlist.
Juventus attacker Kenan Yildiz is also admired, while Arda Güler, Julián Álvarez and Eli Junior Kroupi have been mentioned as alternative options.
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However, Nusa could represent the most realistic balance between immediate quality and long-term potential.
Valued at around £55m by reports in Germany, the 21-year-old is comfortable receiving the ball in wide areas before driving directly at defenders, but also possesses the close control needed to probe teams defending close to their own penalty area.
Arteta’s side regularly dominate possession, but they can become too controlled when opponents sit deep and remove space around the box.
Nusa would offer another player capable of beating his marker without requiring an overlapping run or a complicated passing move.
Norway's Antonio Nusa in action with France's Manu Kone
Leipzig coach Ole Werner has already backed the Norwegian to develop into a world-class player, underlining how highly he is rated in Germany.
Any January agreement would still be difficult, though.
Arsenal given Antonio Nusa hurdles ahead of January
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Nusa is contracted to Leipzig until 2029 and the Bundesliga club were previously reported to value him at around £51 million.
There is also no indication that Leipzig are actively looking to sell him midway through the season, so Arsenal’s early work could be important.
Opening discussions before January would allow them to understand the price and Nusa’s position before rival clubs become more active.
Tzolis remains an important part of Arteta’s plans and his injury is not believed to be long term. Even so, Arsenal cannot afford to depend on one natural option on the left.
Nusa would provide competition, cover and another explosive weapon for a team attempting to defend its Premier League title.
The deal will not be straightforward, but Arsenal appear ready to try again.
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