Mikel Arteta provides Arsenal injury update on Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber ahead of Community Shield clash with Manchester City
Saka and Rice ready for City showdown
Arsenal fans have received a significant boost ahead of Sunday's curtain-raiser against Manchester City, with Arteta confirming that star duo Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are back in contention.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Arteta was bullish about the condition of his returning heavyweights, including new signing Martin Zubimendi. The Spaniard stated: "They will be available, they trained with us today, they will train tomorrow and if they are in the condition that we expect them to be, they will be involved."
Arteta also took time to praise the professional attitude of his squad following a busy summer, noting that "most of them [came back] earlier than expected, really fit with all the testing and they all seem in great condition.
Defensive duo still sidelined
While the news is positive in the attacking and midfield departments, the defensive outlook remains a little more complicated for the Premier League champions. Arteta confirmed that Jurrien Timber and William Saliba will both miss the clash with Enzo Maresca's side as they continue their respective rehabilitation programmes.
Saliba, in particular, appears to be facing a more significant stint on the treatment table, with the manager describing his situation as a "long-term injury." Timber’s situation is more optimistic, though he is not yet ready for a competitive return to the starting XI.
Arteta provided a detailed breakdown of where the Dutch international currently stands in his recovery process, explaining that the club is taking a cautious approach to avoid any setbacks. "Jurrien is progressing really well," Arteta reported.
"He is on the pitch, we are ramping up now with certain actions and especially the volume and the load. I think he is on a good trajectory, but there is still a few weeks to go. Wilo, as we all know, it's more a long-term injury."
Timber's road to recovery
The versatile former Ajax man is a vital component of Arteta’s tactical setup, and his return to full group training is expected to happen in the very near future. The manager hinted that the next seven to ten days will be crucial for the full-back as he begins to integrate back with his teammates on the grass.
Arteta elaborated on the plan for the defender, stating: "We have to wait and see. He needs to start to train with the group in the next week or so hopefully, and then see how he progresses from there. It's been a long-term issue, and we want to make sure that every step that we take is the right one, he feels right to do that, because he's such an important player for us."
Transfer talk and silverware ambitions
Beyond the immediate injury concerns, Arteta addressed the club's ongoing ambitions in the transfer market as the deadline approaches. With links to several high-profile defenders circulating in the media, the Spaniard remained tight-lipped on specific names but was open about the club's desire to keep evolving the squad.
Regarding potential incomings, Arteta said: "I am not going to talk about an individual but what I can obviously tell you is [about] the ambition of the club. It is big that we want to improve the squad, we want to evolve the squad, in order to achieve. We have detected some areas that they can be a strength in - that is what we are trying to do."
