Mikel Arteta has provided a worrying update on Arsenal youngster Louie Copley, with the player seemingly suffering a knee injury against Real Betis.
Louie Copley came on at half-time of Arsenal’s friendly match against Real Betis on Wednesday night, but just 10 minutes later he was limping from the field supported by medical personnel.
Initial analysis of the footage suggested the youngster had suffered a knee injury, and Mikel Arteta confirmed afterwards that the situation doesn’t look good.
“Probably we’re going to have [an update] tomorrow,” Arteta began. “It doesn’t look good, the mechanism is not too positive, the symptoms that he already has either. Let’s hope that tomorrow the news is better than we hope.”
The setback comes at a very frustrating moment for Copley, who has been making his breakthrough into senior football throughout 2026.
The midfielder went out on loan to League Two Crawley Town earlier this year, and he helped the team to avoid relegation. His loan managers Scott Lindsey and Colin Kazim-Richards repeatedly sung his praises, and the only blot on his spell was a couple of weeks-long injury absences.
The 19-year-old has since been heavily involved in Arsenal’s first-team pre-season, playing out of position as a right-back. With Jurrien Timber still not available and Ben White only recently back from injury, it’s been important to have options in that role.
Sadly, it now looks like Copley faces a spell on the sidelines. Arsenal have other youth players capable of filling in at right-back, so the only concern should be the youngster’s long-term fitness. We wish him all the best.
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