Gabriel was stretchered off during Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Manchester City and it was suspected that he may have suffered ankle ligament damage which would rule him out for several months.
He has given Arsenal a fitness boost by revealing his injury is not as bad as first feared. He shared a photo on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BI4XCv0h98r/?taken-by=gpaulista5&hl=en
According to BBC Sport, the injury which Gabriel sustained that bad and we may see him train again after 6 to 8 weeks. This rules him out for not more than 2 months. He also confirmed that the North London club have stepped up their efforts in signing Mustafi.
Here is the tweet.
Arsenal CB Gabriel out 6/8wks – ankle sprain. Not quite as bad as he 1st feared but #AFC stepping up pursuit of Valencia's Shkodran Mustafi
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 9, 2016
With Mertesacker out for 5 months and Koscielny returning just yesterday for the training, Gabriel injury has made a big hole in the defense with all the defenders out for the first game of the Premier League.
Arsenal’s only fully fit centre-backs are Calum Chambers, 21, Rob Holding, 20, and Krystian Bielik, 19, for Sunday’s Premier League opener against Liverpool. Wenger could be forced to field an inexperienced centre-back pairing of Chambers and Holding.
Arsene Wenger has already admitted the need for an experienced center back and will work on a deal to bring Shkodran Mustafi to north London over the coming days, but if he fails to land his main target it’s almost certain that Chambers and Holding will form an inexperienced all-English centre back partnership.
Arsenal have already shown interest in Roma defender Kostas Manolas and Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, both of whom are rated at €45m by their respective clubs, but sees Mustafi as a more affordable and risk-free option due to his price tag of £30m (€35m).
Premier League rules state that only players signed and registered before 12pm on Friday will be eligible for the weekend matches, making it even more important that negotiations to land the 24-year-old Germany international are conducted swiftly .
If recent reports are right, we could be very close to make Shkodran Mustafi our main central defender this season as Valencia have made contact with Eliaquim Mangala of Manchester City.
Let’s hope Gabriel gets well soon and in the time being, we sign a defender.
