Gabriel Magalhaes injury: Charles Watts names perfect Arsenal replacement vs. Spurs

Arsenal expert Charles Watts has exclusively told Sports Mole his ideal replacement for the injured Gabriel Magalhaes, and it is not who many Gooners may think.

The Gunners were hopeful of receiving some positive injury news over the international period, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli stepping up their recoveries in the hope of being fit for daunting fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and Chelsea later this month.

Instead, Mikel Arteta will be bemoaning the absence of critical defender Gabriel, who is feared to be facing one to two months on the sidelines with the thigh injury he sustained in Brazil's friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates a few days ago.

Gabriel's issue would seemingly open up a place in the team for the left-sided Piero Hincapie to slot into, but Watts believes that Cristhian Mosquera would be a better call, even though he is predominantly right-sided.

Asked who his top pick would be to replace Gabriel, Watts replied: “I can't give you a definitive answer to that because I don't know. I think I would probably go with Mosquera. I don't think I'd want to move Calafiori, because you’re shaking the defence up and hurting yourself twice.

“And Mosquera's not put a foot wrong. He's looked so strong. Yes, he's more predominantly right-sided, but he's played left-sided many times, and he's up to speed. He knows exactly what it's about. He’s earned that place.

Why Cristhian Mosquera deserves to replace Gabriel for Arsenal

“If it was a month down the line, then maybe I would be going Hincapie. But he's not going to get back until probably Thursday. He's going to have a lot of air miles in his legs. Maybe that will come into consideration.

“I wouldn't be surprised if Mikel goes with Hincapie though. Mikel's really bigged up Hincapie every time he's talked about his mentality, calling him a warrior, so it wouldn't shock me if it is Hincapie who plays there. Thankfully it's not, but if it was my decision, I would go Mosquera.”

Mosquera and Hincapie are just two of five players who could potentially fill the Gabriel void for Arsenal, who also have Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White and Jurrien Timber available, but Arteta has lost arguably an irreplaceable player in the Brazil international.

The Gunners have won 64% of their games with Gabriel in the team compared to just 40% when he has been absent, and footage of him limping off in Brazil's win triggered inevitable fan uproar online at Carlo Ancelotti's decision to play him.

The former Real Madrid manager issued an apology in his press conference as supporters questioned why Gabriel was risked for a friendly match, especially after reports claimed he was training separately in the lead-up to the match in order to manage his load.

However, with the World Cup just several months away and Gabriel seeking to cement his place in the Brazil XI, Watts defended Ancelotti's decision to risk the 27-year-old, whose problem can be attributed to bad luck rather than mismanagement.

Gabriel Magalhaes injury: Are Brazil, Ancelotti to blame?

“It’s still a big game," Watts replied. "There's about four games left before the World Cup, and you ask Gabriel if he wants to play in that game, he’s absolutely going to say yes. It wasn't like Gabriel was the only first-team player who was playing.

“It's a big game for Ancelotti. He's just arrived, not had many games and wants to see who he wants to be involved in the World Cup. It was at the Emirates as well – his own stadium - there was no way Gabriel wasn't going to be playing in that game. So I don't really buy into that argument.

“I get it, because it's incredibly frustrating. If you're a fan of the club whose player has just got injured, you're of course going to be like, ‘oh, why is he playing in a friendly?’ But never in my mind did I not expect Gabriel to play. He was front and centre of all the advertising for it. But it’s obviously incredibly, incredibly disappointing.

“I've seen the reports coming out from journalists around the Brazil camp who suggested that he was training on his own on Friday. I don't know if that that was the case. I don't know if Arsenal had been in contact with Brazil. It's ironic - normally you'd be saying it's because of all that jetting off halfway around the world, but he's not even left his home!

“It does come down to luck at times. I get the emotional reaction, but he was always, always going to play in that game. He’s only just really forced his way into the Brazil team as well. It’s not been that long since he was in and out the side. He doesn't want to risk that ahead of the World Cup.”

In brighter news, Calafiori is expected to shake off a minor hip problem in time for the North London derby this weekend, but there is a strong chance that Gabriel - who has scored two goals and provided three assists this season - has played for the final time in 2025.