Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Oleksandr Zinchenko is back in full training with the squad, giving his team news update for Arsenal’s clash with Crystal Palace.

Arsenal take on Crystal Palace on Monday, and the Gunners have already suffered their first major injury of the campaign, with Jurrien Timber certainly ruled out of the contest.

Timber is set for surgery on an ACL injury, and he’s likely to miss the entire season.

But with Arsenal losing Timber at left-back, there was some good news from Mikel Arteta on Oleksandr Zinchenko’s return.

“Alex [Zinchenko] is doing very well, he’s been training with us,” Arteta said. “Hopefully we’re going to have him available very, very soon.

“Gabi [Jesus] is still not available and not fit but the rest are all good.”

Zinchenko hasn’t featured for Arsenal in any capacity since May, after picking up a calf problem in Arsenal’s win over Newcastle United.

The left-back missed the remainder of the 2022/23, then reportedly had a setback over the summer to keep him out until now.

But it looks like Zinchenko is finally close to a return, and not a moment too soon.

With Timber’s injury, Arsenal will certainly have to make a change to the side that lined up against Nottingham Forest. Though they have a few options on the table.

If Zinchenko is fully available, the obvious choice would be to bring him in and play something like the system Arsenal used last season.

If not, Kieran Tierney or Takehiro Tomiyasu could fill in on the left, with Thomas Partey continuing to play the inverted right-back role.

With a few more days for the Ukraine international to prove his fitness, nothing is set in stone at this stage.