Former Arsenal youngster Marcelo Flores is waiting on tests after suffering what appeared to be a serious knee injury just weeks before the World Cup.
Marcelo Flores faces an anxious wait over his World Cup hopes after the former Arsenal academy player suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury while playing for Tigres.
The injury comes only weeks before the tournament, and just a day after Flores had been named in the Canada squad.
According to ESPN, the winger went down after his foot appeared to catch in the turf as he dribbled inside the opposition box.
He was unable to put weight on his leg and had to be helped from the pitch before being put in a leg brace.
Tigres coach Guido Pizarro offered little reassurance after the match, saying “Marcelo’s outlook is not encouraging” and that the player felt his knee “gave out”.
Tests are still required to determine the full severity of the injury, but the timing could hardly be worse.
Flores’ international future had already been the subject of a long-running story. He initially represented Mexico before filing a FIFA one-time switch to play for Canada.
Born in Canada to a Mexican father, he was eligible for both nations and had been set to represent Canada at the World Cup.
For Arsenal supporters, Flores remains a familiar name from Hale End.
He joined the academy from Ipswich Town in 2019 and quickly became one of the club’s more talked-about prospects, earning a place in The Guardian’s “Next Generation” list and training regularly with the first team under Mikel Arteta.
Flores signed his first professional contract in 2020 and was named on the bench for Arsenal’s Premier League match against Crystal Palace in April 2022, though he never made a competitive senior appearance for the club.
He moved to Tigres UANL in 2023 for €815k.
The Flores family has a strong football background. His father, Rubén Flores, is a former professional and coach, while his sisters Silvana and Tatiana both came through Arsenal’s women’s setup before moving on to Chelsea and Tigres Femenil respectively.
- Arsenal learn Sunderland ref & VAR official dropped after Villa errorThe Premier League have confirmed their selection of match officials for the upcoming round of fixtures, including Arsenal’s trip away to face Sunderland.
- Former Gunner still waiting on work permit after transfer exitReiss Nelson is still waiting on a work permit to officially link up with his new Feyenoord teammates, suffering with the same wait period as former Arsenal loanee Raheem Sterling.
- Arsenal 24yo wins Player of the Month awardRiccardo Calafiori has been named Arsenal’s Player of the Month for August, with the Italian international also in contention for the Premier League’s award.
- Newcastle director admits disappointment at sale to ArsenalNewcastle United sporting director Ross Wilson has admitted Bruno Guimaraes’ move to Arsenal was the one thing they hadn’t planned for ahead of the summer transfer window.
- Brazil call up 2 Arsenal players but exclude 2 former GunnersGabriel Magalhaes and Bruno Guimaraes have been called up by Brazil for this month’s international break, but two former Gunners have been left out of the squad.