Arsenal dealt fresh injury blow as ANOTHER player set for eight weeks out: report

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta (Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal are top of the Premier League and Champions League tables after what has been an impressive start to the campaign.

The Gunners were back to their workmanlike best against Club Brugge in midweek, seeing off the Belgians by three goals to nil, despite Mikel Arteta resting key players.

Arsenal suffer new injury blow in friendly match

Max Dowman celebrates his Arsenal winner against Bayern Munich

Max Dowman celebrates his Arsenal winner against Bayern Munich U19s (Image credit: Getty Images)

At centre-back a pairing of Piero Hincapié and Christian Norgaard ensured of a clean sheet given the absence of first-choice duo Gabriel and William Saliba, as well as Cristhian Mosquera - all of whom are out injured.

Despite positive news on the pitch, Arsenal have been dealt an additional blow on the injury front.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: Max Dowman of Arsenal arrives at the stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD2 match between Arsenal FC and Olympiacos FC at Arsenal Stadium on October 01, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Dowman made his Champions League debut earlier this season (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to The Athletic, teenage star Max Dowman is out for the next two months with an ankle ligament injury.

It is reported Dowman sustained the injury during a behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United but will not require surgery.

The 15-year-old, who does not celebrate his 16th birthday until the end of December, made his first-team debut earlier this season and is regarded one of English football's best up-and-coming talents.

Dowman was integrated fully with the Arsenal senior team during pre-season and began the campaign on the fringes of the squad, despite his age.

Now, though, he will spend time on the sidelines as he recuperates from this ankle issue and no doubt Arsenal's medical department will take extra care to ensure he recovers fully in order to properly aid his development as a future first-team star.

Dowman has so far made five senior appearances for Arteta's side and featured in FourFourTwo's relaunch of The Boy's A Bit Special earlier this year.

Arsenal's injury list is one of the longest in the Premier League with Mosquera out until the New Year, Gabriel and Kai Havertz expected back around the turn of the year, while others are currently absent with more minor issues that should be resolved in the coming fortnight.

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Joe Donnohue
Senior Digital Writer

Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.

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