Arsenal's Caldentey faces eight to 10 weeks out with hamstring injury

Arsenal midfielder Mariona Caldentey faces an estimated eight to 10 weeks out with a hamstring injury, manager Renee Slegers has said. According to BBC Sport, the Spain international was injured during Arsenal's 4-2 defeat at Manchester City on 4 October and subsequently did not join up with her national team.

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Slegers described the problem as a significant hamstring injury but said the healing process was progressing well as Arsenal carried out further scans. The manager expressed hope that Caldentey could return sooner than the current estimate. That leaves the length of her absence uncertain, with the eight-to-10-week assessment an indication of the expected recovery period rather than a confirmed return date.

The injury removes a player who has become an important part of Arsenal's team since arriving from Barcelona two years ago. Caldentey was named the Women's Super League's Player of the Year for 2024-25. Her lay-off comes with Arsenal having won only one of their first five league matches this season and sitting 10th in the standings.

Arsenal resume their WSL campaign at home to Birmingham City on Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 12:45 BST. Caldentey is not their only absentee: England forward Chloe Kelly and German summer signing Selina Cerci will also miss the match through injury, BBC Sport reported. The team's disappointing opening to the campaign has also brought questions about Slegers' position.

Cerci has undergone knee surgery after a problem she had been managing became worse. Slegers said a scan carried out in Germany led to the decision to operate, with surgery considered the best way forward. The manager indicated that Cerci would be unavailable for a while, without giving a specific recovery timetable in the comments reported by the BBC.

Slegers also explained that Cerci's knee trouble had affected her introduction to the side. The forward missed parts of pre-season, although she had been available and completed most training sessions. The manager said managing the problem had still affected the player, adding detail to Arsenal's injury situation as they prepare to return to league action without all three players.