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MIKEL ARTETA DROPS BIG HINT ON POSSIBLE ARSENAL RETURN VS SUNDERLAND

Arsenal's injury crisis deepens ahead of the North London derby, with no players returning to training. Arteta provides no positive updates on Odegaard, Havertz, or Martinelli, casting doubt on their availability for the Spurs clash.

Mikel Arteta Drops Big Hint on Possible Arsenal Return vs Sunderland
Mikel Arteta Gives Positive Arsenal Injury Update, Forwards could make a return this weekend - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Ahead of the North London derby on November 23, Arsenal is in a precarious position as Mikel Arteta oversees an expanding injury list. Although the international break gives breathing room, it also makes it more questionable whether important players will be available. Arteta affirmed that there are no new reinforcements returning to training and that the squad situation has not improved.

Regarding Viktor Gyokeres and the overall injury situation, Arteta stated on Friday morning, "No, no news." We do not change; no one new can join the team. Thus, notwithstanding. With Tottenham coming to Emirates Stadium for one of the team's most important games of the season, it is a time when Arsenal must strike a balance between prudence and preparation.

Some significant individuals continue to be marginalised. Gabriel Martinelli is out due to a thigh problem, while Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and Noni Madueke are recuperating from knee ailments. Arteta described the ambiguity of their schedules. He remarked, "I do not know some of them, all of them." "I think we will be very close with most of them to be in a really strong position, but there are a lot of things that need to happen in the next two weeks, and everything needs to be right."

The comments highlight how important the next two weeks will be for tactical clarity as well as conditioning. Continuity has been crucial to Arsenal's attacking rhythm, and the manager now needs to look for temporary fixes.

The news about Gabriel Jesus was better. For the first time since undergoing knee surgery in January, the forward resumed full training on Thursday, a milestone that many anticipated to occur near the start of the new year. Arteta is cautious about what comes next, although his recuperation seems to be going more quickly than expected.

Arteta clarified, "I am not sure. It is time to start taking daily steps in a new environment. He has been doing things alone, of course, but now that he has teammates around him, especially very competitive ones, we can see how he handles that. It is nice to have him back, though, and I adore how his teammates responded when he first joined us. He is full of excitement.

His comeback gives the team vitality and leadership, which Arsenal has frequently relied upon in trying times. However, it will take him some time to become used to the full intensity of training, which Arsenal needs to carefully manage.

Greater Context as Fixtures Get Closer to Jesus, Following his absence from training on Monday, Kepa Arrizabalaga was not included in the team that travelled to Prague on Tuesday. Even if they are not as well-known, those problems complicate Arsenal's intentions further.

The upcoming weeks will be characterised by Arteta's adaptability, squad depth, and rehabilitation progress as Sunderland keeps an eye on Arsenal's condition while pursuing their own scouting objectives. As Tottenham gets ready to put its resiliency to the test, Arsenal is aware that availability will influence both selection and tactics as the derby approaches.

THE NEXT STAR: WHY ARSENAL BELIEVE ANTONIO NUSA IS THEIR ULTIMATE ATTACKING SPARK

Arsenal lead the race for Antonio Nusa! Read about the €60m valuation and why Liverpool and Man Utd are also tracking the winger.

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Arsenal Step Up Scouting For €60m Rated Leipzig Star Antonio Nusa

Arsenal have had their eye on Antonio Nusa for a while now, gearing up for a big summer as they look to beef up the squad. Nusa, the Norwegian forward lighting up the Bundesliga, has turned into one of the league’s most exciting attackers lately. Rumours are flying that he’s ready for a new challenge once the season wraps up.

Playing for RB Leipzig, Nusa keeps delivering quick, creative, and always a threat up front. He’s become a huge part of Leipzig’s attack, and clubs all over Europe are taking notice. Arsenal’s scouts haven’t missed a beat, tracking his progress and weighing up whether he’s the spark their attack needs.

Liverpool isn’t sitting this one out either. They already checked in on Nusa during the last transfer window, after missing out on Antoine Semenyo. So, Arsenal won’t be alone once the season ends; expect some serious competition from their Premier League rivals, which just makes the whole thing trickier.

Lately, Arsenal has stepped up its scouting. Fussball Daten says Nusa is now one of their main targets, and they’ve sent multiple scouts to keep tabs on him. This isn’t just a passing interest; they’re serious about landing a top attacking talent.

Leipzig, for their part, seems to know what’s coming. They’re bracing themselves for offers and are likely to set a firm asking price for Nusa. That should give Arsenal and Liverpool a better sense of what it’ll take to get a deal done.

Nusa won’t come cheap. He’s young, talented, and keeps getting better in Germany, so Leipzig will want a big fee. Still, both Arsenal and Liverpool have shown they’re willing to spend to get the right player. Money probably won’t be the thing that stops them.

If Nusa keeps playing the way he has been, Arsenal and Liverpool look ready to match Leipzig’s demands and go all-in for one of their top summer targets.

ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE: SALIBA FACES FITNESS TEST WHILE MIKEL MERINO UNDERGOES MAJOR SURGERY

Arsenal face an injury crisis! Read the latest on William Saliba’s illness, Kai Havertz’s muscle injury, and Mikel Merino’s surgery.

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Havertz, Saliba, And Merino Injury Updates Ahead Of Arsenal vs Wigan

Arsenal are heading into a packed stretch of games, and injuries are starting to pile up. Fans are on edge, waiting to hear what’s happening with William Saliba and Kai Havertz. There’s an FA Cup clash with Wigan coming up, plus some huge Premier League matches, so Mikel Arteta has his hands full trying to keep the squad sharp and the momentum going.

That 1-1 draw at Brentford helped settle things a bit, especially with Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard all back in the lineup. Their return lifted the mood, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty around a few players who could make or break Arsenal’s short-term hopes.

Let’s start with Saliba. He’s a rock in the back line, and his absence at Brentford was obvious, even though Cristhian Mosquera stepped up. Saliba trained earlier in the week, but illness kept him out of the game. Now, everyone’s hoping he’ll be fit for the FA Cup tie, especially with the north London derby against Spurs right after. Arteta knows that a steady defence is everything when the season gets tough, and Saliba’s calmness on the ball is now a big part of how Arsenal builds up play. If he’s back in time, it’s a big boost heading into a run of games that could shape the rest of their season.

Then there’s Havertz. He’d just started finding his rhythm again after dealing with a knee problem, only to pick up another setback – a muscle injury this time. He hasn’t played since the opening-day win over Manchester United, and now it looks like he’ll miss more games. Havertz brings a lot of flexibility up front, and he’s great at pulling defenders around. Losing him, especially when there’s a derby and a busy league schedule, means Arteta has to shuffle his attack. Right now, it looks like Havertz will sit out against Wigan, Wolves, and Spurs, with a possible return against Chelsea in early March. Getting him fit again is going to be key if Arsenal want to keep scoring goals.

Midfield depth has taken a hit, too, with Mikel Merino out after foot surgery. Arsenal confirmed he’s sidelined for a while, and Arteta opened up about just how tricky this injury is.

“There’s uncertainty because the recovery time isn’t well understood, as there’s no history of this type of injury. It’s a stress fracture, not the toes; it’s deeper than that. It’s not something that’s well documented, so there’s a lot of doubt about his recovery.”

Arteta added, “Doctors were really happy. But with bone healing, you need patience. We’re talking months three, four, maybe five. We just don’t know yet.”

Basically, Arsenal are bracing for a long wait with Merino.

There’s at least one bright spot: Max Dowman is almost ready to come back after his ankle injury. The 16-year-old has been out for two months, but he’s getting close. Arteta kept it simple before the Brentford match: “He’s doing really well, about a week away.” If Dowman makes it back in time for the Tottenham game, he could give the team a much-needed jolt during a tough stretch.

With Saliba’s fitness still up in the air and Havertz sidelined again, Arsenal’s depth is about to get a real test. The next few weeks will show just how well Arteta can keep things on track while juggling injuries and trying to stay in the hunt on all fronts.

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