Mikel Arteta has revealed that he will keep Gabriel around the Arsenal squad during his injury absence so that they can call upon his leadership.

Gabriel is set for a spell on the sidelines after injuring his thigh while playing in a friendly for Brazil last week.

Arteta confirmed on Friday that the centre-back will be out for “weeks”, with another scan coming up on Wednesday to confirm the full length of his lay-off.

The Arsenal boss has described Gabriel’s absence as a “blow” but he will keep him close to his team-mates over the coming period.

“The fact that you cannot play or train doesn’t mean that you cannot do all the other activities and add value to the team,” said Arteta. “He’s going to be very close to the team.

“Obviously he’s a big, big player for us but the good t

See Full Page