Arsenal have embarked on their US tour but they’re missing a vital person: our rumoured new captain, Per Mertesacker (oh and Gabriel).
The BFG is hard to miss considering he’s about 10-feet tall and he was noticeably absent from the first pictures that have emerged from Arsenal’s trip to America.
The centre-back featured in our 1-1 draw away to RC Lens last week but has apparently injured his knee.
It’s unclear how serious the injury is – hopefully, it’s nothing too severe.
Meanwhile, Gabriel is apparently ill with a virus, which explains why he seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.
Gabriel (virus) and Mertesacker (knee) are not in the Arsenal squad for the USA tour. #afc pic.twitter.com/cks1lzcLT7
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 25, 2016
Off we go. #Preseason tour. #afc #arsenal pic.twitter.com/RdKeO5ucxY
— Stuart MacFarlane (@Stuart_PhotoAFC) July 25, 2016
https://twitter.com/CalumChambers95/status/757560499995340800
https://twitter.com/D_Ospina1/status/757557859743854592
https://www.instagram.com/p/BISPNhChPNQ/
https://twitter.com/joel_campbell12/status/757556142318977024
https://twitter.com/HectorBellerin/status/757551476919169024
Off to America with this legend @PetrCech @Arsenal #preseason pic.twitter.com/w1uRZ40FFe
— Emiliano Martínez (@emimartinezz1) July 25, 2016
Arsenal face the MLS All-Stars on Friday 29th July and Chivas de Guadalajara on August 1st.
Update
It looks like bad news for Per, as Kike Marin has reported that he could be out for up to five months with this injury. Gutted.
Gabriel is ill, Koscielny has an extended break, Mertesacker could now be out for 5 months [@Kike_Marin_]. #afc pic.twitter.com/W6oU6uYTSH
— UberArsenal™ (@UberAFC) July 25, 2016