“We tried Calafioli but he had some problems. We appreciate his dedication. He stayed here for a week and probably could have played, but that wouldn’t have been fair to him or Arsenal.”
The Mirror claims that despite Calafioli’s absence, Arsenal expect him to be available against Tottenham. This is in contrast to Gabriel, who faced serious allegations.
In a statement, the Brazilian FA confirmed: “Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães was re-examined this Sunday and underwent imaging tests, which revealed a muscle injury in his right thigh. He will therefore not be with the squad for the match against Tunisia in Lille. No other players will be called up in his place.”
Calafioli could be a possible replacement for central defense partner William Saliba. In that case, Piero Hincapie will likely be moved to left-back, a position Calafioli has chosen himself this season.
Arsenal will bring in a number of midfielders and forwards, with Victor Gokeres and Noni Madues hoping to be fit to face Spurs. Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are also expected to return in the coming weeks as a busy festival period approaches.
Gabriel Jesus is also close to making a return after being sidelined for 11 months due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Asked last week about Jesus’ progress, Arteta said: “I don’t know. Right now it’s about taking steps day by day in a different environment.”
“Obviously, he’s been doing everything on his own, but now he’s got players around him, players who are very competitive, and we’ll see how he deals with it.
“But he’s full of energy. I love the reaction of all his teammates when he first joined us. So yeah, it’s great to have him back.”
