The Argentina squad will be arriving at the Four Seasons in Houston today ahead of their friendly on Friday against Bolivia but several of the players flying into the United States are not those initially named by Gerardo Martino. Zenit St Petersburg defender, Ezequiel Garay has become the latest to withdraw through injury and will be replaced by Fiorentina’s, Gonzalo Rodríguez, who has not be named in a squad since 2008.

A stomach complaint led Garay to miss the Copa América final against Chile but was expected to regain his place at the heart of Gerardo Martino’s defence, alongside recent Manchester City signing, Nicolás Otamendi. However, after playing for Zenit in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Krylia Sovetov the 28-year-old has pulled out of the squad with tendonitis.

This has opened the door for 31-year-old Gonzalo Rodríguez, who won the last of his six caps in a 0-0 draw with the United States in New Jersey in June 2008. After a seven-year absence, the former San Lorenzo and Villarreal defender was confirmed by the AFA as Garay’s replacement.

A statement on the AFA website read: “The Zenit defender is injured and will not travel to the United States. His place will be taken by Gonzalo Rodríguez, centre back of Fiorentina.”

Garay becomes the fifth player to miss the friendlies against Bolivia and México after injuries to Pablo Zabaleta, Lucas Biglia and Javier Pastore and Ángel Di María being deemed not fit. This has provided opportunities to Nicolás Gaitán, Ángel Correa, Emmanuel Más and Matías Kranevitter in what is now a rather less than familiar Argentina squad.

The inclusion of Rodríguez is unlikely to excite supporters of La Albiceleste but hopefully Martino will use Friday’s match with Bolivia and next Tuesday’s clash with México in Dallas to take a closer look at Correa and Kranevitter in particular.