Arsenal prepare for a return to Premier League action at the weekend with a number of important injury concerns still lingering, with Gabriel Martinelli the latest addition to the list.
The Gunners resume top-flight action away at Bournemouth in the Saturday evening kick-off, having made an unbeaten start to their latest title charge to sit third behind early pacesetters Liverpool and defending champions Manchester City, only a point off top spot as things stand after seven matches after a comeback win over struggling Southampton last time out at the Emirates Stadium.
It has been another testing international break for Mikel Arteta, who, a month on from losing influential captain Martin Odegaard to an injury sustained in the Nations League, has been handed several more fitness worries concerning key players - not least Bukayo Saka, who limped out of England’s shock home defeat by Greece at Wembley.
The likes of Kai Havertz and Thomas Partey also withdrew from international duty last week, but alongside the nervous wait over Saka there are a number of stars that appear to be on track to return against Bournemouth.
Here is all the latest Arsenal injury news and return dates as a busy end to October looms, with Liverpool on the horizon as well as a visit from Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League and Carabao Cup last-16 showdown with Preston.
Bukayo Saka
Saka started for England against Greece last Thursday night, but limped off early in the second half after suffering an injury during the build-up to the visitors’ first goal.
Interim Three Lions boss Lee Carsley was vague on the specific details but said that the 23-year-old would be assessed, with a scan set for Friday as he later withdrew from the squad ahead of Sunday’s trip to Finland.
However, Carsley offered Arsenal fans hope of Saka being fit to face Bournemouth when he admitted ahead of that 3-1 win Nations League win in Helsinki that he would have been close to playing if he’d stayed with the group.
“Bukayo would have been close but it would have been unfair to take a risk with him,” Carsley said. “He’s a positive person and I expect him to be fine.”
Standard Sport understands that Arsenal are cautiously optimistic that Saka will be fit to face Bournemouth, though he will be assessed by medical staff this week.
Potential return date: October 19, vs Bournemouth
Gabriel Martinelli
Martinelli earned a recall to the latest Brazil squad after being dropped for their September games following a quiet Copa America, featuring off the bench late in their comeback win over Chile on Friday.
However, he was spotted training with tape on over the weekend and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) have now confirmed that the player is suffering with a calf issue and was sent for an MRI scan.
Martinelli will remain with Brazil for treatment in the coming days rather than return to London Colney early, but is presumably now a huge doubt for the home meeting with Peru on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if he has to miss out against Bournemouth too.
“Player Gabriel Martinelli complained of pain in his right calf and underwent an MRI on Sunday night which showed a small area of muscle edema in the area,” the CBF said in a statement.
“The athlete continues to undergo physiotherapy treatment under the care of the Brazilian national team’s medical department.”
Standard Sport understands that Arsenal have been in contact with Brazil over Martinelli and will continue to be so over the days ahead.
Potential return date: Unknown
Martin Odegaard
Fresh fears among fans over the Arsenal skipper were sparked on Friday when rumours spread on social media that he had suffered a fresh setback in his recovery from significant ankle ligament damage and would now be sidelined until December.
Such speculation - which appears to be wide of the mark - arose despite Odegaard writing in his programme notes before the win over Southampton that he was healing quicker than expected as he appeared to hint at an earlier return than first anticipated, provided he reacted well on the training pitch.
Arsenal also sent out a video of their captain working hard on an anti-gravity treadmill last week in another sign that he is stepping up his progress.
The club and Arteta have been wary of setting any firm timeline for Odegaard’s return, but it seems reasonable to expect that he could be back in the mix later this month or at some point in early November. How Arsenal would love to have him back for Liverpool’s visit to the Emirates on October 27.
Potential return date: Late October
Kai Havertz
Arsenal’s in-form forward completed the full 90 minutes against Southampton last weekend, scoring a swift equaliser in the second half to spark the 3-1 comeback win.
That was Havertz’s sixth goal of the season across all competitions already and his fourth in as many games, though fitness fears over the former Chelsea man came after he promptly withdrew from Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad to contest Nations League fixtures against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Netherlands due to a knee problem.
However, Standard Sport understands that such a move was precautionary and that the 25-year-old is expected to be fit and available for the return of the Premier League.
Potential return date: October 19, vs Bournemouth
Thomas Partey
Like Havertz, Partey was selected by his country but ended up not going on international duty after withdrawing from the Ghana squad for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sudan.
The Ghanaian FA said that Partey would remain with his club due to “medical issues”, though Standard Sport understands he was suffering from illness and is also expected to be fine for the Saturday evening trip to the Vitality Stadium.
He will hope that Arsenal’s defensive injuries have improved by then after having to fill in as a makeshift right-back against Southampton last time out.
Potential return date: October 19, vs Bournemouth
Ben White
Arsenal have been without their reliable right-back since he replaced Saka at half-time of the chaotic last-gasp draw with title rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on September 22.
White has been dealing with a groin injury and sat out each of the last four games across all competitions, though Arteta said a late decision would be made on his fitness ahead of the visit of Southampton to north London.
While White ended up being omitted again versus the Saints, the fact that he appeared to be in the mix for selection until late on seems to bode well for his chances of being fit to face Bournemouth, having now had another fortnight to recover.
Potential return date: October 19, vs Bournemouth
Jurrien Timber
Arsenal’s versatile Dutch defender missed the win over Southampton after being substituted at half-time of the statement 2-0 defeat of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League with an unspecified knock.
Any fitness concerns over Timber are always likely to be heightened after he missed almost his entire debut season in England with an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained on debut that required surgery, but it sounds like this latest setback is minor with Arteta also not seeming to rule him out against Southampton until late on.
Timber did not go away with the Netherlands for their games against Hungary and Germany and could be ready to make his own return against Bournemouth on the south coast on Saturday evening.
Potential return date: October 19, vs Bournemouth
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Arsenal have been without Zinchenko since the 1-1 home Premier League draw with Brighton on August 31, with the Ukrainian international dealing with a calf injury.
However, his progress of late has been good and Arteta said last week that he expected to have him back after the international break, providing there were no setbacks.
Once a key part of this Gunners side, Zinchenko now faces huge competition for places at left-back, with both Timber and summer signing Riccardo Calafiori having impressed in the position so far this term. Jakub Kiwior, Takehiro Tomiyasu and teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly offer further full-back depth.
Potential return date: October 19, vs Bournemouth
Kieran Tierney
Another of Arsenal’s full-backs, Tierney has yet to play at all this season after being stretchered off with a serious hamstring injury during Scotland’s group stage draw with Switzerland at Euro 2024 back in June.
He was expected to be sidelined for quite some time and a potential timeline for his return has yet to be stated publicly.
How much Tierney will play for Arsenal this season even when fit remains to be seen, given that he may well have been sold in the summer without this latest injury after spending the last campaign on loan in LaLiga with Real Sociedad.
Potential return date: Unknown
Neto
This is not an injury, but Arsenal’s Bournemouth loanee - who is cup-tied in the Carabao Cup - will be unavailable again at the weekend due to the terms of his season-long summer move to the Emirates.
It doesn’t pose much of a problem with first-choice goalkeeper David Raya back fit, but it remains to be seen if No3 option Tommy Setford will be able to provide back-up duties after a recent injury of his own or if 16-year-old academy product Jack Porter will be called upon again after being handed a shock debut against Bolton last month.
Brazilian Neto will be back to supporting Raya when Arsenal return to Champions League action next week.
