Arsenal suffer fresh blow as national team confirm injury to in-form forward
- Gabriel Martinelli injured on international duty with Brazil
- Winger diagnosed with muscle edema
- Bukayo Saka also injured during October break
By Tom Gott
Brazil have confirmed Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli is undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with a muscle injury.
The winger entered October's international break in hot form, racking up two goals and two assists in his final three Premier League games before linking up with the Brazil squad, with whom he played five minutes against Chile last week.
Brazil face Peru in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday but Martinelli has now emerged as a doubt after picking up an injury.
"Gabriel Martinelli complained of pain in his right calf and underwent an MRI on Sunday night which showed a small area of muscle edema in the area," a national team statement read.
"The athlete continues to undergo physiotherapy treatment under the care of the Brazilian National Team's Medical Department."
The international break has not been kind to Arsenal, who lost another winger, Bukayo Saka, to injury with England. Three Lions interim boss Lee Carsley did suggest Saka's injury was not particularly serious, but he still faces a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of Saturday's trip to Bournemouth.
A knee issue saw Kai Havertz miss Germany duty, while defenders Jurrien Timber and Ben White have both been battling fitness issues in recent weeks.
READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP
feed