Riccardo Calafiori is set to return to Arsenal early for assessment on an injury sustained while away on international duty with Italy.
The Gunners’ £42million summer signing from Serie A side Bologna started for the Azzurri in Paris on Friday night as they bounced back from an early deficit to beat France 3-1 in their high-profile Nations League opener, but later took a painful knock to his calf after being accidentally caught down the back of his leg by Ousmane Dembele in something of a freak collision after the French forward had been sent flying in a tackle by Alessandro Bastoni.
Calafiori received treatment on the pitch and initially tried to play through the problem, but was replaced by Napoli’s Alessandro Buongiorno with just under 20 minutes left to play in the heavyweight clash at the Parc des Princes.
Italy boss Luciano Spalletti delivered a positive initial update on the versatile defender after the game, insisting he needed to be assessed but that there was a good chance that he could play in Monday night’s next Group A2 meeting with Israel in Budapest.
Sky Sport Italia later reported that Calafiori did not train with his Italy team-mates on Saturday ahead of the game against Israel, with Fabrizio Romano then confirming on Sunday that he had withdrawn from the squad and would return to Arsenal for further assessment from the club’s medical staff.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will be hoping that the injury is nothing serious, with his side facing an important first week back after the international break with the first north London derby of the season away at Tottenham next Sunday followed by their Champions League opener against Europa League winners Atalanta in Italy and another high-profile trip to take on title rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Declan Rice is suspended for the showdown with Spurs after his controversial sending off in the 1-1 draw with Brighton last weekend, while Calafiori’s fellow new signing Mikel Merino is facing almost two months on the sidelines after suffering a fractured shoulder in his first training session at London Colney that followed a £31.6m transfer from Real Sociedad.
Arteta’s defensive options are already depleted by the absence of Takehiro Tomiyasu, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Striker Gabriel Jesus has also yet to play this season due to a groin issue, though reports suggest he could be back to play some role against Tottenham. Kieran Tierney is also out with the hamstring injury he sustained playing for Scotland at Euro 2024 this summer.
Captain Martin Odegaard also suffered a knock against Brighton to leave Arsenal facing a potential midfield crisis to face Spurs, though he later allayed any injury fears and played the full 90 minutes for Norway in their Nations League tie away in Kazakhstan on Friday. He is also expected to feature against Austria in Oslo on Monday night.
Arsenal could hand a debut to their new deadline day loan signing from Chelsea, Raheem Sterling, against Tottenham, but he will need to get up to speed quickly under Arteta during the international break having been frozen out of the first-team picture at Stamford Bridge by Enzo Maresca and omitted from Lee Carsley’s first England squad.
