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Arsenal are hopeful that they will still have their strongest players ready for the trip to Bournemouth
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has addressed the media ahead of the Gunners' upcoming trip to Bournemouth, providing updates on several key players dealing with injury concerns.
Among them is star winger Bukayo Saka, who suffered a scare during international duty with England.
Saka limped off in England's recent defeat to Greece and missed the following match against Finland. However, Arteta expressed optimism regarding Saka’s condition.
“It is not a serious injury. He is evolving really well. He has done a few things in the last two days. We are hopeful. Let’s see if he can make it on time for the match,” Arteta stated.
In addition to Saka, the Gunners are grappling with a wave of injury worries affecting several first-team players.
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Kai Havertz is recovering from a knee issue that forced him to withdraw from the German national squad, while Gabriel Martinelli underwent an MRI on his calf after sustaining a knock while playing for Brazil. Arteta noted that Havertz is close to returning: “If he trains well today, he has a good chance to be fit and available.”
Regarding Martinelli, Arteta confirmed that the club is assessing whether to risk the young forward’s fitness. “Gabi landed yesterday afternoon and went outside to see how he’s feeling. We have to decide if we want to take a risk because I know he’ll say he is ready,” he explained.
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Arteta also provided an update on captain Martin Ødegaard, who remains sidelined with a longer-term injury. “He’s not going to be fit for this game. Next week will be a different story. He needs to clear some markers doing things with the ball in the latter stages of rehab. Next week will be crucial for him,” Arteta added.
The injury list doesn’t end there, as defenders Ben White, Jurrien Timber, and Oleksandr Zinchenko also missed the last match against Southampton.
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However, Arteta revealed some good news regarding Thomas Partey, who is available for selection after recovering from his own injury that kept him out of Ghana’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
With a packed schedule and a growing injury list, Arteta is keenly aware of the challenges ahead.
He emphasized the importance of squad depth as the Gunners prepare for the Bournemouth fixture, stating, “We are struggling a bit with the numbers, especially on our right side. It’s a situation we need to manage carefully.”
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