Arsenal’s defensive preparations for Saturday’s return to Premier League action have been thrown into disarray after Ezri Konsa was forced to withdraw from the England squad.
The 28-year-old, who made a high-profile £55million move from Aston Villa this past summer, has been ruled out of Tuesday’s UEFA Nations League encounter against Czechia at Wembley. The Football Association confirmed on Sunday that Konsa, alongside Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, has returned to his club for further medical assessment.
While the exact nature and severity of the injury remain undisclosed, the development will be a significant concern for Gunners manager Mikel Arteta. Konsa has been an integral part of the Arsenal backline this term, forming a promising partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes. His absence from the England camp comes after he previously missed training sessions last week due to a minor muscle issue, though he did manage to complete the full 90 minutes in the recent victory over Croatia.
The timing could not be worse for Arteta, whose squad is currently navigating a mounting injury crisis. The Arsenal boss is already managing the fitness of several key players. William Saliba remains on the sidelines as he continues his recovery from a back injury, while defender Cristhian Mosquera has been out of action for three weeks due to a hamstring complaint.
There is, however, some glimmer of light at London Colney. Ben White, who was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England selection due to fitness concerns, has resumed training, as have both Mosquera and Piero Hincapie. All three are in contention to feature in the squad for the upcoming clash against Leeds United this weekend.
Beyond the defensive unit, uncertainty surrounds the availability of attacking outlets. Winger Christos Tzolis was substituted just 18 minutes into Greece’s clash with the Netherlands after sustaining a suspected hamstring injury. Furthermore, Kai Havertz has returned early from international duty with Germany for tests after being forced off during his side’s match against the Dutch.
On a more positive note for the Gunners, Declan Rice—who opted to withdraw from the England squad earlier this international window citing load management—is expected to be fully fit and ready to start when domestic football resumes on Saturday.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is scheduled to face the media on Monday, at which point further clarity on the timeline for Konsa’s potential recovery is expected. For Arteta, the challenge now lies in rotating his depleted defensive ranks as Arsenal looks to maintain momentum in what is becoming an increasingly congested and physically demanding start to the campaign.
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