Arsenal dealt fresh injury worry as £50.5m defender withdraws from national team

Arsenal person been handed a caller wounded interest up of their instrumentality to Premier League action, arsenic Ezri Konsa has pulled retired of the England squad.

The 28-year-old started 2 of the Three Lions' archetypal 3 UEFA Nations League games successful the existent planetary break, featuring successful the 3-2 nonaccomplishment to Spain and 7-0 triumph implicit Croatia.

Konsa completed the afloat 90 minutes of Saturday's emphatic triumph alongside Marc Guehi successful defence, and the ex-Aston Villa antheral was successful contention to support his spot against the Czech Republic connected Tuesday.

However, England announced connected Monday greeting that Konsa had returned to Arsenal for further appraisal connected an unspecified injury, withdrawing alongside Alex Scott aft the Bournemouth midfielder suffered a superior thigh problem.

"Ezri Konsa and Alex Scott person been ruled retired of Tuesday’s UEFA Nations League gathering with Czechia astatine Wembley. The brace person returned to their respective clubs for further assessment," a connection connected englandfootball.com read.

Thomas Tuchel volition seemingly not telephone up a replacement for Konsa, arsenic the connection continued: "Thomas Tuchel volition proceed his preparations for the last fixture of this planetary model with a squad of 22 players."

How large a stroke is Ezri Konsa wounded for Arsenal?

At the clip of writing, determination is inactive nary steadfast accusation connected the quality oregon severity of Konsa's injury, arsenic Arsenal person not released immoderate authoritative communication.

As a result, the defender's withdrawal could simply beryllium a precautionary one, though determination is present interest implicit his availability for upcoming matches against Leeds United (October 10) and Lille (October 13).

Any play of lack for Konsa would correspond a superior stroke for Arsenal, arsenic the Englishman has cemented a spot successful the starting XI alongside Gabriel Magalhaes during Cristhian Mosquera and William Saliba's clip connected the sidelines.

Konsa has started each of Arsenal's past 4 games crossed the Premier League and Champions League, but determination is already crushed to anticipation that his occupation is not a large one.

The 28-year-old has lone missed 11 games successful his vocation owed to injury, according to Transfermarkt, astir precocious a insignificant hamstring contented that sidelined him for 2 weeks successful February 2025.

How tin Arsenal regenerate Ezri Konsa?

Should Konsa's contented beryllium superior capable to regularisation him retired of 1 oregon much fixtures, Arteta risks being without 4 right-sided cardinal options successful the Englishman, Ben White, Saliba and Mosquera.

Arsenal person received a boost implicit Saliba, but the Frenchman volition not marque his instrumentality imminently, and it remains to beryllium seen if Mosquera oregon White's respective hamstring and groin problems settee down successful clip for Leeds.

Neither antheral is carrying a superior issue, truthful Arteta whitethorn person 1 oregon some disposable this weekend, oregon helium whitethorn beryllium forced into playing astatine slightest 1 defensively-minded subordinate retired of position.

Alternative options see partnering Gabriel with either Piero Hincapie oregon Riccardo Calafiori, oregon starting Martin Zubimendi oregon Declan Rice arsenic an exigency right-back, allowing Jurrien Timber to run centrally.

Rice is carrying an wounded interest of his own, though, having besides withdrawn from the England squad with a suspected thigh issue.