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MIKEL ARTETA OFFICIALLY CONFIRMS GABRIEL JESUS IS READY TO START AFTER 345 DAYS

Mikel Arteta hints at a Gabriel Jesus start vs Palace while Wayne Rooney backs Declan Rice for England captaincy.

Mikel Arteta Officially Confirms Gabriel Jesus is Ready to Start After 345 Days
See why Arteta is making six major changes

Mikel Arteta hinted that Gabriel Jesus might start his first game in 345 days when Arsenal plays Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

Arsenal will play Oliver Glasner’s team at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Arteta hopes winning this competition will end his almost six-year wait for a trophy.

Jesus scored three goals in Arsenal’s win against Palace in the same stage last year, but they lost to Newcastle in the semi-finals.

The Brazilian was out for 11 months because he hurt his left knee pretty badly.

But after coming on as a substitute in Arsenal’s wins against Club Brugge, Wolves, and Everton, Jesus might start against Palace. Arteta is likely to switch players around since they have six games in 20 days.

If Arsenal beats Palace, they'll play Chelsea in the next round.

“Yeah, he’s ready to start, you can tell,” Arteta said about the ex-Manchester City player.

“You can see it now, not just in games but every day in training, how much he wants it. He’ll get a chance soon.”

“It’s been a tough time. When he joined, he boosted the team’s belief, spirit, and energy. He gave us something different and was impressive.

“Then he had some bad injuries, which stopped him from having the consistency we need from a really key player.

“He’s back, and his fighting spirit and desire to always prepare in the best way are amazing. The team is united now, and we need to put that to good use.”

Jesus could replace Viktor Gyokeres, who, even though he scored a penalty in Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Everton on Saturday, hasn’t scored from open play in his last six games.

In midfield, Declan Rice is still doing great for Arsenal. Wayne Rooney has said he should take over from Harry Kane as England captain.

Rooney watched Rice play really well against Everton at Goodison Park. Speaking on the BBC’s The Wayne Rooney Show, the former England captain said, “I have to say, Declan Rice is unbelievable, and it was great watching him on Saturday.

“He was everywhere, and his decision-making—when to pass, where to pass, which foot to pass to, and his detail on his pass—was incredible.

“Harry Kane is the captain, but (Rice) is the future captain of England. He’s probably waiting for Harry to retire at some point.

“He’s the right one to take over because of his drive, his personality, and the fact that everyone seems to love him. He’s crucial for England.”

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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