Thomas Tuchel explains Ezri Konsa's England withdrawal amid Arsenal injury fears

The England boss confirmed that Konsa has left the international setup following the 7-0 victory over Croatia in Rijeka. The defender had previously been sidelined for the win against Czechia in Prague but was deemed fit enough to feature in the thrashing of Croatia. However, he has now been released to receive specialist care at his club as England prepare for their next fixture at Wembley.

Tuchel went into specifics regarding the nature of the injury, explaining that the former Aston Villa man was actually managing a problem before he even joined up with the national team. "The story is two different stories, Ezri felt discomfort when he came into camp, played with discomfort against Spain and it got a bit worse," Tuchel explained during a press conference.

While Arsenal fans may be worried about their summer signing, Tuchel attempted to downplay the severity of the situation. He clarified that the issues are not related to muscle tears or structural damage, but rather the result of physical contact on the pitch. The focus now shifts to whether the defender can recover in time for the Gunners' lunch-time kick-off against Leeds United on Saturday.

"He left camp to get treatment for both of his issues now but I think nothing major but not worth the risk taking," Tuchel added. "We were happy with the attitude that he showed to stay in camp and be ready for Croatia and have a good match but unfortunately he picked up another one in the match. But from a knock, not a muscle injury or something."

Konsa was not the only casualty for Tuchel, who also confirmed that midfielder Alex Scott has been ruled out with a quad injury. Despite these setbacks, the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager remains optimistic about the rest of his group. He noted that updates would continue throughout the day but expected everyone else to be available for selection.

"He stayed in camp and tried everything for the match in Czechia that came too soon and we tried everything for the match in Croatia and gave green light," Tuchel continued. "He finished all the training sessions in between and was ready to play but unfortunately he got another hit on the quad and it caused a little bit of light trauma and we decided not to let him play through this pain and discomfort again."

Konsa’s potential absence would be a blow for Arteta, especially with William Saliba still sidelined with a back problem. The England international has been a regular fixture in the starting XI since his arrival, filling the void left by the Frenchman. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the North London side as several other key defenders close in on their first-team returns.

Ben White, who has been missing with a groin problem, is nearing full fitness and can provide cover in the heart of the defence alongside Jurrien Timber. Furthermore, Cristhian Mosquera has been stepping up his rehabilitation following a hamstring strain suffered in August.