Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta has given updates on the statuses of injured players. The Spaniard also highlighted the challenges and progress made in the squad’s fitness ahead of their upcoming fixtures.
Arteta shed light on Takehiro Tomiyasu’s condition, stating: “He had an injury in the last game that he played with Japan he felt something and was out. We expected him to recover a little bit sooner, but he was struggling at the beginning of the recovery. We decided to extend that period to be more certain because he is a player we really need. We are short, and we cannot risk him being out for months.”
🔴⚪️ Arteta: “Jurrien Timber is still not ready to be part of the squad but the staff are really happy with his attitude and commitment”.
“Jurrien is in a really good place, now we have to manage him”. pic.twitter.com/o4LOFq0YvU
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 29, 2024
On a positive note, Arteta provided an optimistic update on Thomas Partey, sharing: “Thomas had a session before the last game & now he’s done two consecutive sessions so he should be part of the squad on Monday.” He further praised Partey’s unique attributes: “He has certain qualities that nobody has in this squad” indicating the midfielder’s crucial role in Arsenal’s push for the title.
The Gunners boss also expressed his excitement about Jurrien Timber’s eventual return to the squad, although he reitarated that Timber is “still not ready to be part of the squad.” Arteta commended Timber’s attitude and commitment during his recovery period: “Jurrien Timber is in a really good place, now we have to manage him.” The gaffer’s satisfaction with the Dutch defender’s progress suggests he could play a significant role once he has returned to full fitness.