Gabriel Magalhaes issues new Arsenal injury update after 'massive fight' with Mikel Arteta

Gabriel Magalhaes has provided an update on his fitness. The Arsenal defender has recently returned to action, following an extended spell on the side-lines.

Back in April, Gabriel suffered a hamstring injury during the Gunners' 2-1 win over Fulham. The Brazil international was forced to undergo surgery, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

He was slowly reintegrated into the Gunners' starting line-up this summer - making his first appearance off the bench in a 3-2 friendly defeat to Villarreal. A few days later, Gabriel played an hour or so in the north Londoners' final game of pre-season.

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The Brazilian has since started in each of Arsenal's first three games of the new Premier League campaign. Gabriel caught Carlo Ancelotti's eye with his impressive performances, earning a call-up to the national team.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday afternoon, the Gunners defender claimed he still has a lot to prove ahead of the World Cup following his return from the treatment room. As quoted by ESPN, Gabriel said: "When you talk about the Brazilian national team, you have to work every day, work within your club so you can get here in good shape.

"So, I know I'm doing very well, I know the level I can still reach. I'm coming back from an injury, but I feel good and ready. And to get to the World Cup, there are still nine months to go, so I still have a lot to prove to be in there. I'm confident in myself.

"I'll have to maintain the level and keep working," added the defender. "We have to keep our feet on the ground. We know our quality, our team's quality, we know the quality of our coach and everything he can bring to us.

"As you said, it's only nine months, but it goes by so quickly, so we have to prepare as well as possible to arrive at the World Cup in good shape. And of course, the whole group united, we will achieve great things."

Brazil will lock horns with Bolivia in El Ato on Tuesday evening in their final 2026 World Cup qualifier. The five-time winners have already booked a place at next year's tournament in the United States.

Arteta will hope Gabriel returns to north London later this week with a clean bill of health. Back in April, Arsenal's boss delved into the challenges he and his medical staff faced when they tried to protect the defender.

Speaking to reporters about player welfare, Arteta said: "We have those discussions. I don't know how we're going to do it. For example, we had a situation with Gabi.

"During the West Ham game, he felt something in his hamstring. We played three days later, six days later, and nine days later. Three days later, he said he was ready to play with a grade one.

"He said; 'I'm not feeling anything. I want to play'.

"It was massive fight not to play him. Day six; 'This one definitely I have to play'. Everybody's like; 'There is still a chance of a risk to play'. We decided after a big fight, don't play. Day nine, another game; 'This one for sure' [says Gabriel].

"The docs say there is a slight risk. He can miss five, six or seven weeks if he has an injury after that. We said not to play. On day 12, he played. But I was very tempted on day six to play him."

On how hard it is to tell a player they're not ready to play, Arteta added: "If I would have played him day six, and he has the injury that he sustained now against Fulham, and he misses four weeks, four months, I would be hammered.

"So sometimes you protect the player for this to happen, and when the player is totally protected, then this happens, as well. There is an element, guys, that we cannot control.

"You want to play them because the player is coming to your office. 'I want to play, I want to play, I want to play. I'm ready. I know my body. Don't listen to the scan!', you know?

"So we try to do our best. The medical staff, I suffer for them as well for everything that they do because I know that they feel very responsible for that. But it is difficult to put just something into something when there is a lot of thought about how we make decisions."