April 03, (THEWILL) – Arsenal defender, Gabriel Magalhaes, will undergo hamstring surgery, ending his 2024/2025 campaign prematurely. The club confirmed on Thursday that the Brazilian centre-back sustained the injury during Tuesday’s 2-1 victory against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium.
The 27-year-old exited the match in the 16th minute after initially receiving treatment while holding the back of his right leg. Arsenal’s official statement indicated that Gabriel would begin recovery and rehabilitation immediately following the procedure, with the aim of returning for the start of the 2025/2026 season.
This development compounds Arsenal’s defensive concerns, with Riccardo Calafiori already sidelined for weeks and Takehiro Tomiyasu not expected to return this calendar year after February knee surgery. Jurrien Timber also left the Fulham match unable to continue, creating significant selection issues for manager Mikel Arteta ahead of crucial fixtures.
The timing proves particularly challenging for Arsenal, who face Everton in the Premier League on Saturday before hosting Real Madrid in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg three days later. Gabriel has been instrumental this season, starting 39 of 45 matches across all competitions and contributing five goals from set-pieces.
Jakub Kiwior replaced Gabriel against Fulham, though Arteta might alternatively pair William Saliba with Ben White at centre-back, depending on White’s recovery from a recent knee issue. Gabriel becomes the third Arsenal player requiring hamstring surgery this season, following similar procedures for Bukayo Saka in December and Kai Havertz in February.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
