Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has conceded that Gabriel Martinelli may not play again for "months" after the forward suffered a knee injury during a training session.
The Gunners already have a lengthy list of absentees to contend with as they search for their first win since the Premier League resumed, with Granit Xhaka, Pablo Mari and Bernd Leno all picking up injuries in the last couple of weeks.
Martinelli is said to have taken a knock during an Arsenal training session, and Arteta has since revealed that the Brazilian is unlikely to take to the field again before the season is over.
"We had some really bad news again yesterday. In training, in the last action, he got hit by another player," Arteta said in quotes attributed to The Mirror.
"He has damaged his knee and the doctor is assessing the extent of the injury but it is not looking good at all.
"We don't know how long he will be out for but it is looking like months."
Martinelli burst onto the scene following his £6m arrival from Ituano last summer, registering 10 goals and four assists across all competitions for Arteta's side prior to the enforced shutdown.
Arsenal will travel to Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday following back-to-back defeats to Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion since the restart.
Ben Knapton
