Mikel Arteta

Arsenal injury update: Mikel Arteta confirms summer signing has fully recovered from ACL injury

Sportsdunia Desk

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta provides injury update on summer signing

Mikel Arteta confirms the availability of summer signing

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that summer signing Jurrien Timber has fully recovered from his ACL injury and is back in the team. Timber was signed from Ajax in 2023 summer for a reported 42 million Euros. However, in his debut against Manchester City in the FA Community Shield, Timber picked up an ACL injury.

The Dutch defender underwent rehab and has been out since. He recently featured for the under-21s and scored a spectacular goal as well. Arteta told the media ahead of the Bournemouth game that Timber is fully fit and Arsenal have the whole squad available for their next Premier League game. He said (via TNT Sports):

“Jurrien Timber is 100% back and available. We have the entire squad fit and ready.”

Timber is a versatile player and can play as a centre-back as well as in the left-back position. Arsenal already have William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jakub Kiwior, and more in their defensive ranks. Timber’s recovery is set to hand Arteta more options. The Dutchman is well-touted for his ability to play the ball out of the backline. He is defensively a very responsible player as well, as seen from his time at Eredivisie club Ajax.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to take a cautious approach with Jurrien Timber

While Jurrien Timber has fully recovered from his ACL injury, Mikel Arteta doesn’t want to rush the Dutchman back into action. Arteta pointed out that there are only three games to go this season and Timber hasn’t played for the last eight months. Speaking ahead of the Bournemouth game, he said (via football.london):

“We won’t know that until we throw him in there. It’s tricky because there are only three games to go and he has missed eight months of football. He’s played only 115 minutes of football with the Under-21s, it’s a question that can only be resolved by throwing him on the pitch and we will see what happens, we have to try to nail that decision when [we take it].” 

Arteta, though, confirmed that Timber won’t be playing the academy’s game on Friday. While it looks unlikely that Timber will be thrown right back into the first XI, the defender could be set for some game time before the end of the season.

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