Mikel Arteta suffers blow as Arsenal star is subbed off injured on international duty 

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes had to be subbed off the pitch during the recent clash between Brazil and Bolivia in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The Gunners have already suffered an injury setback in defense, as Jurrien Timber has been ruled out for almost the entire season with an ACL injury. Magalhaes has now been injured as well, after suffering a knock to his right knee. The extent of his injury, though, is still unclear.

Magalhaes joined the Gunners in 2022 and has so far made 122 appearances for the club. The defender has made four appearances so far this season. If he misses a significant amount of game time, it could turn out to be a key problem for Arteta's side.

The Brazilian is an important player for Arsenal, and with Thomas Partey also on the sidelines, fans will hope that the former Lille man is not out for an extended period of time. The clash against Bolivia, meanwhile, marked Magalhaes' international debut.

---

Arsenal have terminated Nicolas Pepe's contract

Arsenal have confirmed that they have terminated Nicolas Pepe's contract via mutual agreement. The Ivorian joined the club in 2019 for £72 million. The winger made 112 appearances for the club, scoring 27 goals and providing 21 assists.

Pepe spent the 2022–23 season on loan at OGC Nice. He didn't have a future under Mikel Arteta, and his contract has been terminated. The player has joined Turkish side Trabzonspor as a free agent.

The likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have been massive success stories for the Gunners on the wings. Hence, Pepe had no way back into the team, meaning he has now gone on a new adventure.

The north London club's statement read (via the Gunners' website):

"Ivory Coast international Nicolas, who joined us from French side Lille in summer 2019, won the FA Cup with us in 2020, assisting our winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea. During his time at the club, the forward has made 111 appearances for us in all competitions."

The added:

"The 28-year-old, who had one year left on his contract, spent last season on loan at Ligue 1 side Nice, where he made 28 appearances, scoring eight goals during the campaign."

It further read:

"Everyone at Arsenal thanks Nicolas for his contribution during his time with us and wish him well for the future."