Arteta Dismisses ‘Narrative’ Around Arsenal Stars Withdrawing From International Duty

London – Mikel Arteta has defended Arsenal’s handling of player availability after six of his squad members withdrew from national-team camps during the recent international break, insisting the club’s priority is player welfare and long-term fitness.

Gabriel, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Piero Hincapie, Martin Zubimendi and William Saliba all pulled out of their respective national squads either before or during the fixtures, prompting external criticism aimed at both the manager and the club.

Addressing the backlash, Arteta said: “I think it’s part of the narrative, but I understand that. I hope it’s been the same when we had a lot of players from the national team injured in the past. The same emphasis, because then it’s a fair comment, so it’s fine. Let’s see who is available and not tomorrow, and maybe we have to change the narrative.”

The Spaniard underlined that Arsenal have previously lost several players to injuries sustained while on international duty, suggesting the current scrutiny lacks context. He added that every selection decision is made with the player’s immediate fitness and the club’s competitive demands in mind.

Asked whether he factors in next year’s World Cup when determining minutes for his internationals, Arteta replied: “Everything is in consideration. I think we need to commit to the moment, and the moment here is Arsenal and the moment they are with the national team is the national team. Something that happens in between, you cannot be thinking about that because your duty, your obligation is to perform wherever you are in that moment and that’s what we expect from all the players.”

With a congested domestic schedule resuming this weekend, Arteta’s focus remains on fielding the strongest available side rather than balancing future international ambitions.

Arsenal supporters will discover on matchday which of the previously sidelined stars return to contention, potentially shifting the discourse surrounding withdrawals and availability once again.