Eberechi Eze has been sidelined with a calf injury that has forced him out of England’s squad for this international break, but a clearer picture of the problem has now emerged.
Ebelesi Eze sidelined with injury (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Ebelesi Eze could be out for six weeks, leaving injury-hit Arsenal with serious doubts heading into a crucial period of the season.
Arsenal have suffered a number of injuries since their defeat in the Carabao Cup final, and Eze is just one of the players who will not be able to play for his country during the international break. Eze sustained a calf injury against Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday and missed the 2-0 defeat against Manchester City at Wembley.
Mikel Arteta was hesitant when asked about the seriousness of the problem, saying: “We have to take another test in six or seven days and wait for the results.”
The 27-year-old has since been left out of England’s squad for friendly matches against Uruguay and Japan, but it now appears the playmaker’s problems are more serious than initially feared. According to BBC Sport, club officials believe Eze could be out for four to six weeks.
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His setback comes at a time when five of his team-mates have also been forced to withdraw from international action due to injury. Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Julian Timber and Martin Odegaard are all absent from the international break. Trossard played 82 minutes in the Carabao Cup final but was withdrawn from Belgium, centre-back pair Gabriel and Saliba were withdrawn from Brazil and France respectively, and Timber will not play for the Netherlands.
There is good news for Odegaard. He has been out for a month with a knee injury but is expected to return after the international break. The Arsenal captain missed Norway’s matches against the Netherlands and Switzerland in order to regain his fitness with the club.
Arsenal next face Southampton in the FA Cup on April 4, followed by the first of two Champions League quarter-final games against Sporting Lisbon and a Premier League match against Bournemouth.
Martin Odegaard on his way back from a knee injury (Image: Getty Images)
Arteta may choose to rotate his squad ahead of the match against Championship side Southampton. The Gunners’ top priority remains the Premier League, where they sit nine points above City with nine games in hand.
Ben White has returned to the England squad after Jarel Quansah was sidelined with injury, with six Arsenal players missing from the national team. Meanwhile, Eze’s departure has given Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes an opportunity.
White has not played for England since leaving the team during the 2022 World Cup following a falling out with Gareth Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland. The right-back opted not to be included in the Euro 2024 squad, but returned this season despite making just seven Premier League appearances due to injury.
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