Arteta provides the latest on Arsenal’s injured players ahead of Ipswich, with hopes for late-season returns but none back this weekend.
Mikel Arteta will take his side to Portman Road on Sunday without a number of first-team regulars as Arsenal continue to manage a lengthy injury list heading into the final stretch of the season.
Gabriel and Gabriel Jesus remain out for the rest of the campaign, while Takehiro Tomiyasu is unlikely to return until 2026 following knee surgery.
Kai Havertz, sidelined since February with a hamstring injury sustained during Arsenal’s Dubai training camp, has resumed light training. While the German international won’t feature against Ipswich, Arteta suggested there is hope he could return before the season ends.
“I think that’s too close,” Arteta said of Havertz’s availability for the upcoming Champions League semi-final. “But if I had to bet on him earlier than expected, I would say yes. The way he’s pushing in the gym, you cannot hold him much longer.”
Riccardo Calafiori, who has been recovering from a knee issue picked up on international duty, is also nearing a return. “If everything goes well, I think so [for the semi-final], maybe a bit earlier,” said Arteta. “He’s on the pitch already.”
Jorginho is still recovering from a rib injury, while Lucas Nygaard remains sidelined with a broken finger.
Asked whether Jorginho could return for the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, Arteta deferred. “That’s a question for the doctors,” he said. “I will leave that for the club.”
With a Champions League semi-final looming, Arsenal will again be forced to rely on squad depth as they prepare for their first league trip to Ipswich Town in 23 years.