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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's chase for honors this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling schedule.

Latest Squad Update

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek clash to face Club Brugge due to illness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot injury.

"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous circle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a long series of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the beginning of last season, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from knee and "requires more time," according to the manager.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training intensity were to blame, pointing to a shortage of time for drills. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant off-season investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to dip into the winter transfer market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a matter of weeks," he said. "It's clear how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The squad experienced their first defeat in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage win would virtually secure a knockout phase place. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive European match.

"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," he said. "This isn't like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."