Jorginho is definitely out of Arsenal’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid. But the Gunners are hoping that it is not a season-ending injury and the veteran midfielder can still play a part in what looks certain to be his final year as a player at the club.
Jorginho’s contract expires this summer and has been offered a return to his native Brazil with Flamengo although the door may be left open for him to come back to the Emirates in the future.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has been plagued by injuries this season and the bad luck struck again during Saturday’s draw with Brentford.
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey also suffered a knock and is being assessed but they hope he will be fit to face Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Jorginho, 33, suffered a chest injury against Brentford and Arteta finished the game with 10 men as they had used all of their substitutes.
Former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has undergone checks and X-rays and according to The Mirror, the injury is likely to rule him out of the next few weeks, definitely missing the quarter final second leg at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Gunners boss Arteta is a huge admirer of Jorginho and might have leant on his experience as a big part of the squad ahead of Arsenal’s biggest game of the season. But he will miss out and is set to miss at least the next two Premier League games against Ipswich and Crystal Palace and possibly more.
They have a total of six Premier League games left but also have a potential Champions League semi final if they get past Real Madrid. That would certainly mean they rely on squad members and Jorginho played against Brentford on Saturday to give other players a rest.
But Arteta still rates and values Jorginho very highly as an influence on and off the pitch. While Jorginho looks set to leave and get at least one more playing contract elsewhere, it is not beyond the imagination for the Italy international to one day return to the Emirates.
