Arsenal may be forced back into the transfer market after losing Mohamed Elneny to injury.
The Egyptian midfielder made his first Premier League appearance of the season on Saturday, playing the full 90 minutes of the victory over Fulham. He only started the game after colleague Thomas Partey suffered a setback of his own and is set to join his teammate in the treatment room for the foreseeable future.
Elneny suffered what is said to be a significant injury, with the club yet to provide full details. However, if the former Basel man is set to spend time on the sidelines, Arsenal could be required to invest in cover as they prepare to play European fixtures on top of their domestic requirements.
According to The Athletic, Elneny's injury is being assessed by the Gunners' medical staff. The same report suggests he could be absent for a 'substantial' period after sustaining the problem in Saturday's victory.
Arsenal have other options in midfield, even without Elneny and Partey available. Albert Sambi Lokonga was on the bench on Saturday, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles remains at the club despite transfer interest from elsewhere in the Premier League. Defensive duo Benjamin White and Oleksandr Zinchenko also played in midfield at times before arriving at the Emirates.
Still, there is a suggestion that Elneny's absence could prompt Arsenal to adjust their transfer strategy. The Gunners have been linked with plenty of wide forwards, but their injury situation may force a deep-lying midfielder to become a priority.
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"You look at the players that are coming, the amount of money spent, the level that the squads already have and what they are adding, it’s something I haven’t experienced in this league," manager Mikel Arteta said in his press conference before the Fulham game. "You saw yesterday a few of the transfers that happened and what is still going to happen in the last week or so, I think is going to be really powerful."
"Obviously, there are a few things that we cannot control - injuries and suspensions as we’ve had in the past," he added, when asked about the squad's ability to compete on multiple fronts. But we have to maintain the level of performance we are at right now and the demand will be to do it every three days, which is what you are hoping for when you are at this club."
Nicolas Pepe's loan exit had seen Arsenal linked with investment further forward, with Wolves ' Pedro Neto and Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha among those mentioned in connection with a move. Even the central midfielders linked tend to play further forward, with Leicester's Youri Tielemans an option, but Arteta has until Thursday September 1 to get any deal over the line.
