Gabriel Martinelli will not play again this season, with the Arsenal winger ruled out for the remainder of the campaign following ankle ligament damage suffered against Brighton.
Marinelli, 21, left the Emirates Stadium in a protective boot, raising fears that the injury may be significant enough to rule him out of the Gunners' final three games of the season. This was confirmed on Wednesday, with the Athletic confirming the full extent of the Brazilian's injury.
The Brazilian was withdrawn before half-time in the 3-0 defeat to the Seagulls, with a tackle from Arsenal transfer target Moises Caicedo resulting in his substitution. The Brighton midfielder has since expressed his regret over the challenge, with a summer move to Arsenal still on the cards for the Ecuador international.
Martinelli will also be unable to beat the record for Premier League goals for a Brazilian in a single season, with his 15 goals now a final tally for the campaign. He now shares the record with Roberto Firmino, who recorded 15 strikes in a single season during 2017/18.
The Gunners have two games left to play but the defeat at Brighton means that their title challenge is effectively over with Manchester City four points ahead as well as having a game in hand. There is now little to play for in the final two matches of the season, with the club's Premier League points record of 90, set by the Invincibles, also out of reach.
It could leave some room for rotation, with Oleksandr Zinchenko and William Saliba both also out for the remainder of the campaign. This could bring potential summer departures Kieran Tierney and Reiss Nelson likely to be given a chance for the final two fixtures.
The news of Martinelli's absence comes after the Arteta provided an update on his condition in the wake of Sunday's defeat, with the Gunners boss confirming that a scan would take place. “He is in a boot. It is very uncomfortable to walk. He could not play on. We need to scan him.”
However, the injury now appears to be worse than first feared. Arsenal's Head of Medical Services, Gary O’Driscoll, originally suggested Martinelli may be back before the end of the season.
After the match, he was asked how Martinelli was feeling and replied: “Sore.. Terrible foul, disgraceful, disgraceful foul, he’s a bit sore, but he should be OK.” When asked whether he would miss the remaining two matches, he said: “Yeah, I think he’ll definitely be back before the end of the season.”
This prediction has not come to pass, but with the anger being directed towards Caicedo for his foul, the wider implication of Martinelli's injury could well be its impact on Arsenal's summer transfer plans and if they choose to pursue a move for the Brighton midfielder.
