Arteta Confident Arsenal Can Cope Without Injured Gabriel for 4 Weeks

Mikel Arteta has spoken out on Arsenal's defensive plans after confirming that key centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes is facing a significant spell on the sidelines.

Injury Blow for Brazilian Defender

The Brazilian international was forced off with a thigh injury during Brazil's 2-0 win against Senegal at the Emirates Stadium last Saturday. Arsenal's medical team now believes the 27-year-old could miss a minimum of four weeks, with another scan scheduled for next week to determine the full extent of the damage.

This isn't the first time Gabriel has faced injury troubles, having missed Arsenal's final 12 games last season due to a hamstring problem that required surgery.

Arteta's Confidence in Squad Depth

When asked if Gabriel is the most difficult player in his squad to replace, Arteta remained pragmatic ahead of Arsenal's crucial Premier League match against Tottenham on Sunday.

'I don't know, obviously he's a big, big player for us but the good thing is that we have experienced that,' Arteta stated. 'Last year, in the most crucial moment of the season, we were without him for three months and the team managed to remain super competitive. We won a lot of matches, we were defensively really good against very, very tough opponents, so we need to do it again.'

Potential Replacements and Upcoming Fixtures

With Jakub Kiwior, who deputised during Gabriel's previous absence, now on loan at Porto, Arteta will look to summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie to step up. Both defenders have already impressed since joining the club and are considered strong options to partner William Saliba at the heart of Arsenal's defence.

Arteta also emphasised that Gabriel will remain involved during his recovery period: 'The fact that you cannot play or train doesn't mean that you cannot do all the other activities and add value to the team. He's going to be very close to the team.'

Arsenal face a demanding schedule during Gabriel's absence, including: