Ben White is expected to be out for at least six weeks after undergoing minor surgery on a knee issue in a fresh injury blow for Arsenal.
The versatile defender has been playing through pain in recent weeks. As a result, the Gunners have decided that the current international break is an ideal period to resolve the problem.
White missed four matches earlier this season due to injury and was recently left out of the starting XI for Arsenal’s 1-0 Premier League defeat at Newcastle as a precaution.
The 27-year-old is expected to be out for between six to eight weeks.
The news compounds Mikel Arteta’s injury woes, with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka having both been forced off during Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea and subsequently pulling out of the England squad.
Though it is injuries in the backline which have been a particular problem for the Gunners. Jurrien Timber has been in and out of the team after battling minor issues, having missed most of the previous campaign with a torn ACL. That has seen Thomas Partey used as a makeshift right back.
A boost for the north London club is the fitness of Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu — the defenders are expected to return after the international break.
Arsenal have also only just welcomed back captain Martin Odegaard to a starting spot last weekend after two months out with an ankle injury, as Arteta bemoaned his side’s bad luck with injuries.