🔗 Share this article Mikel Arteta Warns Fitness Woes Could Hinder Arsenal's Trophy Quest Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's pursuit for titles this season is being jeopardized by a worrying circle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list. Latest Squad News Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still unavailable. There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle injury. "Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are without players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous cycle." Dowman's setback is the most recent in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the start of last season, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-most total in the English top flight. Long-Term Absences Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025. Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from surgery and "needs more time," as stated by the manager. Arteta rejected the suggestion that training intensity were to blame, pointing to a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two seasons. Recruitment Strategy Even after a major off-season investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely looking to dip into the January recruitment market. "At the moment we're just focusing on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a question of a short time," he said. "It's clear how important those coming weeks are going to be." Looking Ahead The squad experienced their first defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points. Focus now turns to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group-stage victory would virtually secure a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League fixture. "We are disappointed with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he said. "It's not like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."