Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze is set to miss a crucial period of the season due to a calf injury, with initial estimates suggesting an absence of around four to six weeks.
The 27-year-old suffered the injury during last week’s Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen, forcing him to miss Sunday’s Carabao Cup loss to Manchester City and withdraw from England’s latest squad.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Eze will undergo a definitive scan this week to determine the full extent of the injury.
The absence of Eze comes at a pivotal moment for Arsenal as they pursue a trio of trophies, including the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup. However, the impending return of captain Martin Ødegaard is expected to ease the blow. Ødegaard, who has been sidelined for a month with a knee injury, will miss Norway’s upcoming games against the Netherlands and Switzerland to focus on returning for Arsenal as soon as possible after the international break.
While Eze’s injury is a setback, its timing at the start of the international break will help minimise the impact on Arsenal’s squad. The Gunners’ next fixture is the FA Cup quarter-final at Southampton on Saturday, 4 April, a competition in which Arteta has rotated players to manage fitness.
