Arsenal have confirmed that Granit Xhaka will be out of action until the New Year after suffering a knee injury against Tottenham.
The club announced on their official website that the Swiss international has a significant injury to his medial knee ligament. However, Xhaka will not require surgery, with the midfielder expected to be out for three months.
The 29-year-old had only just returned to the first team after serving a three-game suspension as well as testing positive for COVID-19 during the September international break.
Xhaka played the most minutes out of any outfield player for Arsenal last season. Moreover, the £100,000-a-week midfielder signed a new contract with the Gunners over the summer despite rumours of a potential transfer to AS Roma.
Indeed, the news will be a blow to Arsenal’s midfield squad depth. The Gunners have just four options in Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Yet a lack of European football could be helpful for Mikel Arteta.
With Arsenal still competing in the League Cup, the injury to Xhaka could mean more first-team minutes to the likes of Maitland-Niles and Lokonga. Indeed, Charlie Patino could also feature for the senior squad with the Swiss star out for three months.
However, with Arsenal winning their three games with Xhaka out through suspension, the former Bundesliga star could not be as big of a miss that most supporters might initially feel.
Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday will be a big test to see how Arsenal really fare without Xhaka in the squad due to this lenghty injury. Arteta once labelled the midfielder ‘terrific’, yet the Basque manager will have to adapt to life without the Swiss international
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