Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes has been released from the Brazil national team and will miss their upcoming qualifiers with Bolivia and Chile with the birth of his daughter imminent.
Gabriel has been called up to Tite's last three national team squads but is yet to make his debut for the first team. That wait will now go on slightly longer with the 24-year-old set to stay in London to be with his partner.
Atletico Madrid defender Felipe will replace Gabriel in the national side. Mikel Arteta's star man is not the only player to be released from the squad either, with Leeds United talisman Raphinha also staying in England after testing positive for COVID-19 ahead of their clash with Wolves on Friday night.
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Gabriel has been a key figure as Mikel Arteta's side push for an unexpected place in the top four of the Premier League and in next season's Champions League. His partnership with Ben White at the back has proved to be a formidable unit and Arsenal fans will be eager to see him back in action for the club as soon as possible.
Arteta has admitted his surprise in the past at how quickly the duo have gelled, saying back in October after they kept a clean sheet against Brighton: "Yes, because they never played together, because Gabi is still a little bit struggling with the language and they didn’t have any time to work together in pre-season.
“They are getting a really good connection, good chemistry and I think their qualities match and complement each other really well. I think both of them were terrific.”
White will take part in international action over the next two weeks, however, having been recalled to Gareth Southgate's England squad for matches with Switzerland and Ivory Coast.
