£150,000-a-week Arsenal star “sees red” and “flies off the handle” in new footage

Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhães is nearing a return from injury after the Brazil defender was spotted “flying off the handle” during a friendly football match in South London this week.

Arsenal injury latest

The Gunners centre-back is just one of several injuries for manager Mikel Arteta to contend with heading into the busiest part of the season.

The Spaniard was typically coy this week when asked if any of Declan Rice, William Saliba, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber would be available to face Wolves.

Saliba has been absent for the past four fixtures with an ankle injury, and Arteta said of the France defender: “It was something quite small because it came from an ankle injury that he had, and then he started to modify the way he was running, and he started to overload an area, which is something common.

“But at some point, it became uncomfortable to continue training and playing and we had to stop.

“He hasn’t trained with us yet. We have an extra day. Let’s see if he can be available (to face Wolves) or not.”

Arteta has been missing his first-choice centre-back pairing since Gabriel picked up a thigh injury during the November international break, but onlookers believe the 27 year-old is close to a return after he was filmed in an intense incident in London this week.

A friendly match between supporters of Brazilian side Botafogo was called off after the controversial tackle, and although the £150,000-a-week Arsenal star did not play in the match, a witness told The Sun he looked he “didn’t look injured”.

Arteta typically keeps his cards close to his chest when it comes to injuries, but his number six may well have just raised more questions for his next press conference.