Injured right-back Jurrien Timber could return to full first-team training with Arsenal this week, according to a report.
Alex Howell reports for the BBC that while William Saliba will be out of action for a few months, Jurrien Timber could return to first-team training this week.
That would certainly be a boost for Arsenal, with Ben White the only natural senior right-back in the squad at the moment. Cristhian Mosquera can fill in on the right, but with Saliba out, Mosquera is needed centrally.
Mikel Arteta has been turning to youth players throughout pre-season, but even then, he’s often needed to play youngsters out of position. Right-back isn’t Arsenal’s strongest academy position right now.
The current defensive injury situation at Arsenal is part of the reason the club are looking to invest in a new signing in the position, with a deal for Ezri Konsa now close. But Timber’s return would also help.
While White is fit, Arsenal aren’t in a bad situation. The Gunners only have one game a week for the remainder of August, so rotation shouldn’t be a necessity until the transfer window closes.
But White himself is only recently back from a knee injury, and he’s struggled with various fitness problems over the last couple of years.
Arsenal certainly won’t want to go into September relying entirely on White for all the Premier League, Champions League, and League Cup matches that month.
Indeed, if Timber returns to full fitness and Konsa joins, Arsenal may even consider selling White before the deadline.
James Olley reported as much for ESPN recently, writing that White could be allowed to depart if the Gunners pursue a deal for Konsa.
But until Timber is fit, it’s simply too much of a risk. Adding Konsa, losing White, and still missing Timber would leave Arsenal still relying completely on one player for four competitions. So it’s important they get the Dutch international back.
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