Major setback for Arsenal as two Gunners midfielder suffers severe injury

Another Arsenal player has hurt a muscle, after Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard already did.

Arsenal’s fitness problems keep getting worse. Midfielder Fabio Vieira is said to have strained a muscle while on loan at FC Porto.

This latest loss comes after captain Martin Odegaard was taken off with an injury during Norway’s international match on Monday. This makes it even harder for Mikel Arteta to choose his team for this weekend’s highly anticipated North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur.

Vieira got a muscle injury in his right thigh while on loan back to Porto to get more playing time. This kept him from making his second start for the Portuguese club. Reports from Cabine Desportivo say that the 24-year-old’s healing time is still unknown.

Three important midfielders are going to be out for the match, which makes it hard for Arteta to choose his team. Long-term injury to summer signing Mikel Merino could keep him out for up to two months. Also, Declan Rice will miss the game because he was suspended for two games after getting a red card against Brighton right before the international break. This makes Arteta look for other players, especially since he let Emile Smith Rowe and Vieira go on loan during the summer transfer window.

Arsenal sent Vieira on loan so that the midfielder could get more regular playing time. Since joining the club, he has had trouble getting regular game time. The technically gifted midfielder, who is known for his vision and creativity, has only played a few times for Arsenal, but the club still sees potential in him.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the loan move to Porto was seen as a chance for Vieira to regain his form, with Arsenal hope that consistent playing time will prepare him for a Premier League return next season.

Notably, Arsenal did not include a buy option in Vieira’s loan deal, signalling that they have not given up on the Portuguese playmaker. How he does at Porto will be very important in figuring out if he can live up to the high standards the club still has for him.