Bruno Guimaraes has been ruled out of Arsenal's squad to face Coventry City after sustaining a groin injury on his debut for the club.
The Gunners' new £75 million ($101 million) acquisition made his first appearance for the club when he started their 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City last Sunday, but suffered a knock and was withdrawn at half-time in favor of Declan Rice.
The Brazilian was absent from Arteta's squad for Friday's Premier League opener against Coventry, with Myles Lewis-Skelly slotting into midfield alongside Rice. Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi were both named among the substitutes.
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"He had a slight tension in his groin," Arteta told Sky Sports, via The Mirror. "He hasn't done a preseason, he only had four or five days before that game, and we had to take him out. It's a lot of new stuff for him as well. We need to take it bit by bit."
Arsenal starting XI vs Coventry: Raya; White, Gabriel, Mosquera, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard; Saka, Tzolis, Havertz.
Notably, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus were both absent from the squad at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal eager to offload the Brazilian pair before the transfer window shuts on September 1. Transfer-linked Ethan Nwaneri was named among the substitutes.
In his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Arteta was asked about Guimaraes and replied: "Let's see how he is. He's evolving really well, but let's see for tomorrow."
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Arsenal are also missing crucial defenders Jurrien Timber and William Saliba. Timber sustained a groin problem that sidelined him from the FIFA World Cup, while Saliba suffered a back injury during France's fixtures in North America.
The Gunners have brought in Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa for £51 million ($69.6 million) to provide backup for Saliba. The 28-year-old England international's signing was confirmed on Friday. He has penned a four-year deal and could feature on debut against his previous team.
"I'm super excited. It's a privilege to be here and can't wait to get started," Konsa said. "I want to keep winning, I'm hungry to win and that's what I'm here for. It's a proud moment for me and my family to play for one of the best teams in the world."
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