Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta has known as a knee harm which has saved Takehiro Tomiyasu out of the membership’s US tour “unbelievable” however mentioned he’s “very excited” about fellow defender Jurrien Timber’s return from long-term anterior cruciate ligament harm.
Versatile Timber joined from Ajax for an preliminary £34 million in June 2023, solely to depart the pitch in agony throughout Arsenal’s opening sport of the season at house to Nottingham Forest.
The 23-year-old returned on the ultimate at Emirates Stadium on the ultimate day of the marketing campaign in opposition to Everton, and Arteta has described the Netherlands prospect as “so keen” and “in a very good place” forward of the brand new season.
Timber harm return
“He’s a frontrunner,” Arteta mentioned of Timber. “He likes to be on present and a giant presence in the whole lot that we do. He’s very vocal and intensely gifted technically. He is a superb addition to the workforce.
“It’s not simple to return to a giant membership, begin to set expectations together with his performances after which, on day one within the Premier League, you’re out for the season.
“However mentally, he’s a very robust boy. He has a fantastic setting round him and hopefully that can make him a greater participant.
“We’re going to need to handle him now within the subsequent few weeks, particularly as a result of the load he has been in a position to do in the previous couple of months, in comparison with the following two weeks, may be very completely different. However we’re very excited.”
Arsenal switch information: ‘Working arduous’
Arteta lavished reward on the angle of his gamers and the depth of their coaching since their arrival within the US, the place they’ll play in California in opposition to Bournemouth on Thursday (3.30am BST) and Manchester United three days later (1am).
The Gunners additionally face Liverpool in Philadelphia on August 1 (12.30am) earlier than returning to England for house friendlies in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen on August 7 (6pm) and Lyon 4 days later (2pm).
Full-back Tomiyasu is probably the most notable absentee. “He had an incident in coaching this week and we don’t know but the extent of that, however as a precaution we saved him [in England],” mentioned Arteta. “It’s unbelievable as a result of the child works so arduous. We’ll see what occurs.
The Spaniard hopes to have made extra signings by the point the switch window shuts at 11pm on August 30.
“We all know there are specific positions that we wish to enhance and provides the squad higher assets, particularly by way of numbers, the place we’re very quick,” mentioned Arteta, including that technical director Edu and Arsenal’s board are “working arduous” on potential targets.
“We are going to attempt our greatest however the primary factor is to deal with falling in love with the gamers we’ve and make them higher. There’s nonetheless a [long way] to go within the window.”