It's been an international window to forget for Mikel Arteta andArsenal, with 12 players now doubts for their return to domestic action. Martin Zubimendi is the latest to pull out from his respective international side in the last few days, in what is a major concern for the Gunners.
Another recent injury blow, came when Piero Hincapie withdrew from the Ecuador squad ahead of Tuesday night's clash against the Netherlands. The Gunners star was part of La Tri's draw with Morocco on Friday evening, where he was replaced by Pervis Estupiñán in the final quarter of an hour.
The 24-year-old has joined a long list of players to have been recalled from international duty by Arsenal this month.
Noni Madueke, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka all pulled out of the England squad and returned to Arsenal for medical treatment, while Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard, and Jurrien Timber all pulled out of their respective international squads.
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Here, football.london breaks down all of the sidelined Arsenal players at present, as well as their potential return dates...
Martin ZubimendiThe concern over Zubimendi is the latest in a series of cruel blows for Mikel Arteta's side over the last 48 hours. A statement from the Spanish FA, which came just a few hours after yet another injury blow, read: "Martín Zubimendi has withdrawn from the Spanish national team camp due to discomfort in his right knee.
"To avoid any risk and to protect the player's health, he has been removed from the squad. Arsenal FC's medical staff have been informed of the situation."
Potential return date: Unknown.
Piero HincapiePiero Hincapie is another injury blow for Arsenal and Arteta, pulling out of Ecuador's squad to face the Netherlands on Tuesday night. The defender has returned to the Gunners, but the extent of his injury is unclear as things stand.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Leandro Trossard
Leandro Trossard withdrew from the Belgium squad for their international games against the USA and Mexico due to a hip injury.
In a statement, the Belgian FA said: "This decision will allow him to continue their rehabilitation under optimal conditions."
Potential return date: Unknown.
Arteta received another injury setback with both England internationals heading back to Arsenal, departing the Three Lions camp merely a day after joining Thomas Tuchel's squad. The severity of any potential injuries remains uncertain at this point.
An FA statement confirmed: "Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka will also return to Arsenal for medical assessment, having arrived on Friday along with nine other players.
"The rest of that group comprised of Dean Henderson, Nico O'Reilly, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi, Dan Burn, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane."
Potential return date: Unknown.
Noni MaduekeMadueke looked noticeably upset as he passed Thomas Tuchel on the sideline on Friday evening, and subsequent footage proved particularly worrying for the winger.
The 24-year-old, who missed 15 matches for the Gunners earlier this season due to a knee issue, was observed wearing a brace on his left leg as he was captured on camera leaving the stadium. As a result, Madueke has been withdrawn from Tuchel's squad with what England described as a 'knock'.
When asked about which players would be leaving the England camp before next week's match, Tuchel responded: "It's too early. Now we have some injuries and there's also a medical update on the players who came.
"Not everyone is fully fit as I understood. We will take late decisions and maybe take the decision only tomorrow to have a squad against Japan to compete."
Potential return date: Unknown.
Eberechi Eze
Eberechi Eze missed the Carabao Cup final after sustaining an injury during Arsenal's Champions League triumph over Bayer Leverkusen earlier this month.
Eze pulled out of the England squad because of the calf issue, and will now undergo further assessment. However, it is believed that the attacking midfielder could be unavailable for around four-to-six weeks, marking a considerable blow for Arsenal during such a pivotal period of the season.
The Gunners face five matches within 15 days after the international break, meaning squad rotation will be essential to prevent further injuries and player fatigue. Nevertheless, they will likely be forced to manage the extremely congested fixture list without Eze available.
Potential return date: Late April or early May.
William SalibaLike Eze, William Saliba withdrew from this month's international matches, with France taking on Brazil and Croatia. While the centre-back appeared in Sunday's Carabao Cup final, an ankle problem sustained during the game led to his replacement by Maxence Lacroix for international commitments.
The French Football Federation confirmed at the time: "William Saliba is unable to join the French national team's training camp, which begins this Monday, March 23. The Arsenal centre-back is suffering from recurring pain in his left ankle, requiring treatment and a minimum rest period of ten days."
If France's assessment proves accurate, this indicates Saliba should be sufficiently fit to feature against Southampton in the FA Cup.
Potential return date: Saturday, April 4 vs Southampton (FA Cup).
Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard was ruled out of last Sunday's Carabao Cup final due to a knee injury. Having been absent for roughly a month, doubt persists over whether he will be fit for next weekend's FA Cup tie.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Gabriel MagalhaesThe Brazilian Football Federation released a statement confirming that Gabriel would miss his nation's friendlies against France and Croatia owing to "pain in his right knee." Scan results have additionally identified an injury to the 28-year-old centre-back.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Jurrien TimberJurrien Timber picked up an injury during Arsenal's win over Everton earlier this month and has not featured since.
The full-back has also withdrawn from Netherlands duty for their friendlies against Norway and Ecuador, with a statement from the Dutch FA confirming: "Sunderland defender Lutsharel Geertruida has been added to the Netherlands national team squad by national coach Ronald Koeman.
"This follows the withdrawal of Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), who has not yet sufficiently recovered from an injury and is therefore unavailable for this international break." Speaking before the international break, Arteta confirmed the defender would be assessed after the hiatus in club fixtures.
Potential return date: Saturday, April 4 vs Southampton (FA Cup).
Mikel Merino
While Mikel Merino is anticipated to have adequately recovered from his ankle complaint in time to represent Spain at this summer's World Cup, it appears the versatile midfielder's involvement with Arsenal this season is over.
The club are adopting a cautious stance regarding Merino's recovery, and the player was spotted at Wembley last weekend on crutches and wearing a protective boot.
Potential return date: Next season.