Arsenal are nearing a return to competitive action as they prepare to take on Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s North London derby in the Premier League, with the final round of international fixtures taking place.
But the two week break has not been so kind to the Gunners, with three players returning to the club early in what has become an injury crisis for Mikel Arteta. Elsewhere, one of his transfer targets has teased “something may happen” ahead of a potential January move, while Arsenal have been sent a warning over the decision to change Arteta’s role.
Mirror Football takes a look at all the latest stories coming out of the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta handed eight-man injury crisis
Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of a number of players ahead of Saturday’s North London derby with Tottenham following the latest round of international fixtures.
The Gunners take on Spurs in Saturday’s early kick-off, where a win would extend their lead at the top of the table to four points, but they could now be without up to eight players for the contest in what has become an injury crisis for Arteta.
Mohamed Elneny and Emile Smith Rowe had already been ruled out of the fixture, while Oleksandr Zinchenko, Martin Odegaard and Ben White are in recovery. However, early returns from international duty for injury prone stars Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney and Takerhiro Tomiyasu leaves Arsenal ’s squad stretched to its limits.
Read the story in full HERE .
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Transfer target teases “something may happen”
Jesper Lindstrom has admitted he is flattered by Arsenal transfer speculation and teased that a transfer away from Eintracht Frankfurt could be on the cards,
German news outlet Bild last week reported that Arsenal had opened talks with Frankfurt over a potential move for Lindstrom when the transfer window reopens in January. But Arteta faces intense competition for the 22-year-old’s signature, with the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona also tracking his progress.
He told Tipsbladet via Sport Witness : “It’s always great to play in the biggest league in the world, but whether Arsenal is right for me is hard to say. Right now, I’m in a good place in Frankfurt, but it’s great that there are clubs like them that are watching me. Something may have to happen at some point, but right now I’m fine.”
Read the story in full HERE .
Arsenal given Mikel Arteta “mistake” warning
Former Arsenal head of football Raul Sanllehi has admitted he feels his old employers have made a mistake in changing Arteta's job title at the Emirates.
Initially, Arteta was hired by Sanllehi and co. as Arsenal's first-team coach, yet after the Gunners won the FA Cup eight months into his managerial career, the Gunners boss saw his title change to first-team manager. In turn, this tweak gave him far more control and influence when it came to decision-making on the club's direction.
Sanllehi was sacked by Arsenal shortly after that FA Cup triumph and the subsequent change to Arteta's job title, something he has since claimed was a "mistake" and that it "betrayed" the club's model.
Read the story in full HERE .
