Mikel Arteta gives Gabriel injury update as four Arsenal stars ruled out vs West Ham
Arsenal take on London rivals West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium this weekend but there are a few concerns for Mikel Arteta to navigate ahead of the match including defender Gabriel
Arsenal star Gabriel will be subject to a late fitness test this weekend despite Mikel Arteta allaying fears over a long-term injury. The Brazilian defender gave the Gunners boss a fresh concern midweek.
He was withdrawn against Olympiacos following an awkward collision with teammate David Raya. Speaking ahead of this weekend’s clash with West Ham, Arteta has revealed that Gabriel’s issue isn’t too serious but will still make a late call over whether he can play.
Meanwhile, he has also confirmed that summer signings Piero Hincapie and Noni Madueke remain ruled out, alongside long-term absentees Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
"We will have to wait and see after training [with Gabriel]. We will have to see how everyone is, but we are not too concerned about him,” he said in his pre-match press conference.
"[Piero Hincapie] will be available after the international break, this game came too fast. Kai [Havertz], Noni [Madueke] and Gabi [Jesus] are the same."
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta and Jamie Carragher agree on Arsenal star's new role as Eberechi Eze point madeREAD MORE: Arsenal's next five Premier League fixtures compared to title rivals after Liverpool blowGiving more information about Hincapie, Arteta added: "We've been trying to do everything as fast as possible [to get him fit], but this game came too fast. Now we have an international break, so hopefully, after that, he will have a couple of sessions with the team and be ready to go."
One man who is in contention is winger Bukayo Saka. The winger has been building up his minutes over recent weeks and was surprisingly named in Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad.
Asked if he had spoken to the FA, Arteta said: "Not yet, but we always talk Thomas and I. From my side, we give him feedback on where players are and we learn on reflect on how the camp has gone."
What team should Arsenal name vs West Ham? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Saka will join Arsenal teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly in the Three Lions camp. The defender was another somewhat surprise inclusion, having found his opportunities limited over recent weeks.
On that decision, Arteta added: "Coming from someone like Thomas [Tuchel], who I know very well, for him to describe Myles in that way is credit to the boy, family and everybody who has been a part of of his education.
"Myles has probably not played as many minutes as he would have liked, but he is professional in the way he has been engaging with his team and he gives you the possibility to count on him."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.