Arsenal defender Gabriel to undergo surgery, set to miss rest of the season

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Arsenal defender Gabriel will undergo surgery after sustaining a hamstring injury, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

Gabriel had to be withdrawn in the 16th minute of Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory at home to Fulham in the Premier League.

The centre-back had gone down a few minutes earlier and appeared to be holding the back of his right leg, before he was treated on the pitch and eventually limped off. Manager Mikel Arteta said after the match that Gabriel “felt something in his hamstring.”

Arsenal have confirmed the injury and said the aim is for the 27-year-old to be available for the start of the 2025/26 season.

“Further to being substituted during our match against Fulham on Tuesday, we can confirm that Gabriel Magalhaes has sustained a hamstring injury which requires surgery,” Arsenal said in a statement on Thursday.

“Gabi will undergo a surgical repair procedure to his hamstring in the coming days, and immediately begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with the aim to be ready for the start of next season.”

Gabriel has started 39 of 45 matches across all competitions for Arteta’s side this season, alongside two substitute appearances in the Carabao Cup.

Arsenal are already dealing with injuries in defence, with Riccardo Calafiori out for “weeks” with an injury he sustained on Italy duty last month and Takehiro Tomiyasu not expected to return this calendar year after undergoing knee surgery in February. Jurrien Timber was also replaced against Fulham after being unable to continue.

Arteta’s side play Everton at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday before hosting Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie three days later.

‘Massive blow’ for Arsenal

Gabriel’s hamstring injury coming ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid is a massive blow.

The Brazil international is a key part of Mikel Arteta’s backline, and has arguably been Arsenal’s most reliable defender this season.

The 27-year-old plays a vital role in how Arsenal defend both high up the pitch as well as deep in their own box. He also provides exceptional goal threat from set-pieces, with five goals in all competitions this season, and 20 for Arsenal overall.

Arteta reacted by replacing Gabriel with Jakub Kiwior against Fulham, but the Poland international was not convincing. The defender missed three games through injury in December, with Arteta opting for Kiwior on all three occasions.

After the 2-1 win over Fulham, the Arsenal manager said of Kiwior: “The good thing with Jakub is that he’s been very reliable.

“Every time we need him he’s always there, he’s available. He does his job, we ask him to play as a left-centre-back, as a right-centre-back, as a left-full-back. So, he’s ready. He has a smile on his face, you know, he’s sad for Gabi, but he really wanted to play as well, and he will be fine.”

Other than Kiwior, Arteta could opt for a centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Ben White, but that would depend on the latter recovering from a knee issue sustained pre-Fulham.

Gabriel is the third Arsenal player this season to require surgery for a hamstring injury, following Bukayo Saka in December and Kai Havertz in February.

(Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

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