Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted concern over a fresh injury blow after teenager Louie Copley was forced off during the club's 3-1 loss to Real Betis, with the youngster now set for a scan to assess the extent of the damage.
Copley needed assistance from Arsenal's medical team to leave the pitch and was unable to walk unaided, heading straight down the tunnel after being replaced by Theo Julienne. The 19-year-old was one of seven substitutes introduced by Arteta at half-time as he shuffled his squad during the pre-season fixture.
Speaking after the match, Arteta did not hide his worry about the nature of the injury, revealing that the club would know more once test results come back.
"Well, probably we're going to have it tomorrow," Arteta said. "It doesn't look good, the mechanism is not too positive, the symptoms that he already has either. So let's hope that tomorrow the news is better."
The scan, scheduled for Thursday, should provide clarity on how serious the setback is for Copley, who will now have to wait anxiously to discover whether the issue is a minor complaint or something that could sideline him for a longer period.
Alongside Copley's withdrawal, Arsenal also managed the returns of Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, both of whom featured for the first time this summer having been given extended time off following their involvement at the World Cup. The Brazilian pair were introduced at the interval as part of Arteta's wave of changes but were then taken off with around 15 minutes remaining, suggesting a cautious approach to reintroducing them after their break.
Neither Gabriel nor Martinelli completed the second half, mirroring the situation with Copley, though their withdrawals appeared to be part of a planned build-up in fitness rather than any fresh concern. Having missed the earlier stages of pre-season, the club is expected to carefully increase their playing time in the coming days.
With Arsenal's next test coming against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, it is anticipated that both Gabriel and Martinelli will be given around 45 minutes of action as they continue working toward full match sharpness ahead of the new season.
The defeat to Real Betis represented another step in Arsenal's pre-season preparations, with Arteta using the occasion to rotate his squad extensively and assess the fitness levels of players returning from international duty. However, the shadow cast by Copley's injury threatens to overshadow those broader squad management plans, at least until the club receives an update on his condition.
Arsenal fans and staff alike will be hoping for reassuring news on Thursday, with Arteta's own comments suggesting he is bracing for a difficult diagnosis. The club will provide further updates on Copley's status once the scan results are analyzed by the medical team.
As Arsenal continue their preparations for the upcoming campaign, the dual storylines of managing returning World Cup players and assessing a potentially serious injury to one of their younger talents will remain a key focus in the days ahead.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.