Jurrien Timber is fit and available for Arsenal against Bournemouth on Saturday, giving Mikel Arteta a selection headache.

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s game against Bournemouth this weekend, Mikel Arteta had a positive update with regards to his squad’s fitness.

Arsenal haven’t had a fully-fit squad for the entire season, with Jurrien Timber the main reason why. Timber suffered an ACL injury in the first game of the campaign, and he’s still yet to return to action for the senior side.

But after a couple of appearances for the Arsenal u21s, Timber is now back in contention for first-team minutes.

“Everybody is fit and available, so now it’s a headache to make the right selection,” Arteta said on Friday.

Timber has looked sharp in his u21 appearances so far, but Arteta later explained in his press conference that his fitness-building spell with the side is over.

The Arsenal u21s face Manchester United on Friday night, and Arteta confirmed that the Gunners summer signing won’t be part of the contest.

Arteta isn’t wrong that Timber’s return gives him a bit of a headache, as he’ll have to drop another one of his first-team players to include the defender.

From last week’s bench against Spurs, Aaron Ramsdale, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, and Fabio Vieira are all pretty unlikely to drop out, as they’re the only real options in their positions.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus would be huge shocks if they were left out, given how close they are to starting, so that only really leaves Eddie Nketiah or Emile Smith Rowe.

With Havertz starting up front, Jesus on the bench, and Leandro Trossard also available, Arsenal have options up front, so perhaps Nketiah is the most likely.

Yet Nketiah has played significantly more minutes than Smith Rowe this season, so it could go the other way.

It’s a good headache for Arteta to have, going into the final few weeks of the season.