Arsenal suffers El Nini injury, which could affect transfer plans

Arsenal were dealt a heavy blow after it was revealed that midfielder Mohamed Elneny suffered a serious injury in Saturday’s win over Fulham.

The 30-year-old Egypt international is understood to have resolved the issue during his team’s 2-1 win but completed the entire match. The problem did not appear until later.

Although it is believed that Arsenal and Elney are waiting for the full term, initial indications are that he is expected to be sidelined for an extended period.

With Thomas Partey also absent, albeit due to what is said to be a relatively minor muscle problem, Arsenal now find themselves light in midfield.

Elneny’s loss could have repercussions for Arsenal’s transfer plans in the remainder of the window. The club had previously focused on signing a new striker on a large scale, with Pedro Neto first target but he is unlikely to be sold by Wolverhampton Wanderers. Michalo Modric of Shakhtar Donetsk is also among the candidates.

El Nini’s setback could lead Arsenal to turn to pursue a recruit in his area of the pitch. It is believed that financial considerations will make it difficult to buy a winger and a linebacker in the coming days.

It is unlikely that Arsenal will resort to a short-term solution, especially since they already have Albert Sambi Lukonga, who can play as their deepest midfielder.

If the north London side has to make any additions between now and Thursday’s deadline, they intend to be the one who fits in with their broader staffing plan and team building strategy.