Noni Madueke Joined by Two Arsenal Teammates in Mass England Withdrawals

Eight players from six different clubs pulled out of England’s friendly against Japan on Tuesday.

There are big concerns over Noni Madueke’s health. | Catherine Ivill-AMA/Getty Images)

The Arsenal trio of Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice were among the eight players to have withdrawn from England duty before the Three Lions’ second friendly of the March international break, causing more injury concerns for the Premier League leaders.

Madueke’s absence was expected and is undoubtedly the most concerning. The fleet-footed forward started for England against Uruguay on Friday evening but was forced off before halftime after an early collision. Madueke was later pictured limping out of Wembley with a brace on his left knee.

If there is any encouragement for Arsenal fans to take, England’s official statement confirming Madueke’s departure described his ailment as nothing more than “a knock.”

The same briefing would only go so far as to reveal that Rice and Saka had returned to north London “for medical assessment.” They were not alone.

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The Eight Players to Withdraw From England Duty

John Stones’s injury luck ran out once again. | Shaun Brooks/CameraSportGetty Images

• Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United)
• Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United)
• John Stones (Manchester City)
• Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
• Noni Madueke (Arsenal)
• Declan Rice (Arsenal)
• Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

Alongside the Arsenal trio, Manchester City’s John Stones was also forced to pull out of Tuesday’s friendly with Japan. The injury-prone center back was said to have “picked up an issue in training” before Friday’s draw with Uruguay in yet another fitness setback.

When fully fit there is little doubt that Stones would be Thomas Tuchel’s first-choice defender. Blessed with a tactical brain sharpened by years under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage, the ball-playing center back completely transforms the threat of this England side.

It was notable that Uruguay let England’s defensive duo of Harry Maguire and Fikayo Timori have as much time on the ball as they wanted at Wembley, safe in the knowledge that their high block would not be penetrated by any of the defenders’ unadventurous passes. When Stones has possession, England’s threat increases exponentially.

The so-called ‘Barnsley Beckenbauer’ can escape a high press much more effectively than the treatment room. Stones has only started four Premier League games this season, sitting out 21 matches across all competition with multiple muscular injuries.

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Arsenal Plagued by FIFA Virus

Gabriel and William Saliba (right) have both complained of injuries. | Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made no secret of his disdain for international breaks. “It's a period that I don’t enjoy a lot,” the Spanish coach fretted earlier this month, “especially when we have 18, 19 players playing and especially with what happened in our recent history with very important players, but it’s part of the calendar and we have to accept that.”

The Gunners’ recent history of seeing their star players struck down while representing their country—the so-called FIFA virus—has repeated itself in the case of Madueke, but the winger is one of nine Arsenal players to have pulled out of international fixtures in March.

There are clearly concerns over Madueke and his compatriot Eberechi Eze, who is reportedly poised to miss the entirety of April with a calf injury sustained before the international break even began. However, it might not be as bad the headline numbers suggest.

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Every Arsenal Player to Withdraw From International Duty in March 2026

• Eberechi Eze (England)
• Jurriën Timber (Netherlands)
• Leandro Trossard (Belgium)
• William Saliba (France)
• Gabriel Magalhães (Brazil)
• Noni Madueke (England)
• Declan Rice (England)
• Bukayo Saka (England)
• Piero Hincapié

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Of Arsenal’s eight international absentees, five pulled out of friendly fixtures before playing a single minute without any injury concerns heading into the break. Leandro Trossard, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka all started for the Gunners in last weekend’s disappointing Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City and appeared to emerge from the fixture unscathed (physically, at least).

Arsenal are still in the chase for three major trophies this season and face a compressed calendar littered with marquee fixtures over the coming weeks. The aforementioned quintet would all be expected to start for their respective countries at this summer’s World Cup, a status which is unlikely to be altered by missing a friendly.

Even if Arteta has some lingering doubts over these returnees, he could perhaps afford to rotate his squad for Arsenal’s first fixture back: an FA Cup quarterfinal against Championship outfit Southampton.

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