Mikel Arteta refuses to rule out returning Arsenal star Jurrien Timber from north London derby
A big boost for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta has refused to rule Jurrien Timber out of featuring in this weekend’s north London derby as the defender makes his long-awaited return for Arsenal’s U21 side on Monday evening.
Timber completed a £38.5million switch from Ajax last summer but suffered a devastating setback during his Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest.
The subsequent ACL injury has kept the Dutchman sidelined for over eight months, but Timber is now stepping up his rehabilitation with the club’s medical staff.
The 22-year-old will receive his first competitive minutes since August against Blackburn on Monday, with Arteta now hopeful he can play a role in Arsenal’s crucial run-in.
Asked whether Timber could feature against Tottenham at the weekend, Arteta said: ‘That’s a quick step! Let’s see how he feels today.
‘He’s been training really good, he looks ready. He needs that exposure and after that we will assess whether that game comes in time or too fast. I will try to get him back with us for the final games.’
Arteta was speaking at his press conference ahead of the Gunners’ clash with London rivals Chelsea on Tuesday.
When asked about Timber’s chances to be included in the Dutch squad for this summer’s Euros, Arteta added: ‘At the moment it looks really far [away] because he hasn’t played any football.
‘Let’s see how he goes tonight and let’s see if he can contribute in an impactful way in our season and then we’ll see what happens in the summer.’
For Arsenal, the fixtures continue to come thick and fast as they prepare for Tuesday’s London derby, having only played on Saturday evening against Wolves.
Several key players are approaching 50 appearances in all competitions this season, but Arteta said his squad are pushing any concerns over fatigue to the back of their minds for now.
‘Winning is a big boost of energy so after the performance against Wolves and having to play a London derby tomorrow everybody is ready,’ he added.
‘The amount and volume of the games is something else but now is not the moment for us to look at that. We have to think in a positive way and feel and think that we are fresh to perform the best possible way.’
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