Mikel Arteta has provided a cautious update on the fitness of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion, with the manager stopping short of giving a date for either return.
Havertz has returned to training after suffering a knee injury against Manchester United on the opening weekend of the league season and was back on the grass before Arsenal’s Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace.
Arteta suggested the forward’s comeback is close, but stressed that the final steps will depend on how his body responds.
“I think it will be a matter of days, if not weeks,” Arteta said. “Let’s see in the next step how he responds to that.
“He’s a player that we missed a lot, a player that brings the team into a different dimension. So, I’m really happy to have him back very soon.”
The situation is less clear with Gabriel, who has been sidelined since the November international break after picking up a thigh injury while on duty with Brazil against Senegal. The centre back has yet to return to full training, leaving it unlikely he will return in time for the Brighton game.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Arteta said. “He hasn’t trained yet, he’s still doing his rehab. But hopefully as quickly as possible because we know the situation that we have in the back line.”
Arteta also confirmed that Gabriel Jesus has come through his recent return without issue, making his first start since January during the Palace cup tie.
“He’s very fit,” Arteta added. “We’ve been gradually increasing his minutes. But [against Crystal Palace] as long as he was OK, everybody was happy to let him go on. When we get into fatigue mode, we took him off, but we’re very happy.”