Arsenal have been handed a huge boost in pre-season as midfielder Mohamed Elneny has hinted at his return from injury on social media. The 30-year-old suffered a serious knee injury in late January during a training session that resulted in him missing the rest of the campaign.
While not a mainstay in the team, the influence of the Egyptian international cannot be understated, having become one of the leadership figures in the squad. Elneny played a key role in helping the squad in cup matches too, often featuring in domestic competitions to help rotate the squad.
Shortly after his injury, the midfielder signed a new one-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until summer 2024. With another option in the central ranks for next season, Mikel Arteta will be boosted by his presence in pre-season training as Elneny posted an image on Instagram in the gym at London Colney, saying: "Back [home emoji]."
There will be hopes that he isn't the only member of the squad returning from injury after some difficult absences towards the end of the campaign. One of the key ones was for William Saliba, who suffered a back injury in a Europa League tie with Sporting CP, which would eventually see him absent for the rest of the season.
It remains to be seen how fit the Frenchman will be on his return, with Arteta saying back in May: "It’s probably too early to say [if Saliba is back for pre-season]. I think it’s evolving the right way. The last two weeks have been much more positive than the previous two months."
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The Gunners will be boosted by a long-term commitment to the club though as football.london understands that Saliba has agreed a new contract with the club. There's not just concerns surrounding him though, with Takehiro Tomiyasu yet another worry for pre-season.
The Japanese international has been plagued with injury concerns over the course of his Arsenal career so far, suffering a knee injury in the same Sporting CP clash as Saliba that kept him out until the end of the season. It remains to be seen how they will return, but with weeks before the new season, there's still time for a full recovery.
