Brazil team doctor provides injury update on Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus

Brazil's team doctor has eased fears of Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus potentially aggravating a hamstring injury on international duty this month.

The 26-year-old has missed each of Arsenal's last five matches across all competitions due to a hamstring problem sustained in a 2-1 Champions League win over Sevilla in which he scored and provided an assist.

However, Jesus has been named in Fernando Diniz's 27-man squad for CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina, and he is scheduled to fly to South America to join the international setup at some stage this week.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has questioned Brazil's decision to call up Jesus this month and stated last weekend that the striker is "far from" ready to train let alone play for either his club or the national team.

Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar has since offered an encouraging update and has revealed that national team coach Diniz is keen to have the whole squad at his disposal regardless of their fitness situation.

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"We have been following the player's situation since he was injured," Rodrigo Lasmar told reporters as quoted by the Evening Standard. "We have maintained contact with the player, and with Arsenal.

"We know that he has been recovering from a muscle injury to the back of his right thigh and has already started working on his physical adaptation on the field.

"But the fact that we bring the player is Diniz's philosophy, bringing the whole group, having all the players close."

Lasmar added: "The player has not yet arrived and I have not evaluated him, I will provide a more detailed position.

"But, as soon as he arrives, he will undergo all the evaluations and we will continue this final phase of the player's rehabilitation.

"We have not made any decisions about when he will play, but it is important to have him close."

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Under FIFA rules, five-time world champions Brazil are allowed to call up Jesus and assess the striker themselves despite Arsenal's concerns over his fitness.

The inclusion of Jesus in Diniz's squad comes at a time when Brazil are having to cope without injured quintet Neymar, Casemiro, Richarlison, Eder Militao and Ederson, the latter of whom withdrew from the squad on Monday due to a foot problem.

After dropping five points in their last two World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay in October, Brazil currently sit third in the CONMEBOL standings, five points adrift of leaders Argentina.

Brazil's showdown with Argentina next Wednesday takes place just two-and-a-half days before Arsenal return to Premier League action away against Brentford on November 25.