A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Mikel Arteta receives an injury update and Ibrahima Konate notes which Gunner he ‘does not want’ to win the Premier League.
Arsenal star Jurrien Timber is in a race to return from injury at Manchester City
Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber is now in a race to return from his ACL injury when Arteta’s squad visit Manchester City. That is according to football.london, which reports that Timber must prove his fitness to feature after missing their behind-closed-doors friendly with QPR.
Queens Park Rangers beat Arsenal at their training ground on Thursday as Arteta gave a raft of academy gems minutes. Thomas Partey also played against the Championship side after opting against representing Ghana. But Timber is yet to convince Arsenal he is ready to play.
Arsenal are playing Timber’s return from ACL surgery with great caution after sustaining the injury 50 minutes into his Premier League debut. The 22-year-old has taken a role in regular group sessions in training at London Colney. But Arsenal will not rush his competitive return.
Read more about Arsenal defender Timber’s hopes of a return from injury, here.
Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate ‘does not want’ William Saliba to win the Premier League
Liverpool defender Konate has admitted that he ‘does not want’ his Arsenal counterpart and France teammate William Saliba to win the Premier League title. The centre-halves are both in Didier Deschamps’ team for friendlies with Germany and Chile whilst fighting for the title.
Arsenal head Liverpool on goal difference at the top of the table after 28 matches thanks to boasting the division’s best offence and defence. Saliba has helped Arsenal set the standard with just 24 goals allowed. Konate and the Reds have conceded the second-fewest with 26.
Konate and Saliba are both fighting to win their first Premier League titles, as well. Liverpool signed Konate from RB Leipzig one year after lifting their only top-flight title since 1990. The Gunners have not won the trophy since Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles squad back in 2003/04.
So, while Konate enjoys the competition Saliba presents in the France camp, the 24-year-old hopes to deny his 22-year-old compatriot and Arsenal by helping Liverpool win the 2023/24 Premier League title. Konate received a red card as Arsenal beat Liverpool 3-1 in February.
“There’s extreme competition in this job but I’m happy because it’s healthy,” Konate has told France Info. “Apart from perhaps William Saliba, I do not want him to win the title.”
Read more about what Liverpool star Konate has said about Arsenal and Saliba, here.
Arsenal could abandon their interest in Georgiy Sudakov due to Mykhailo Mudryk
Arsenal may abandon their interest in the transfer of Shakhtar Donetsk star Georgiy Sudakov because of Mykhailo Mudryk. That is according to Fabrizio Romano, who reports that teams from around Europe are hesitant to strike a deal as Shakhtar are demanding a sky-high sum.
The Gunners are in the mix of sides watching Sudakov along with SSC Napoli and Juventus. But Arsenal are sceptical about advancing their interest as their relationship with Shakhtar is poor, given how their pursuit of Mudryk collapsed before he joined Chelsea in January 2023.
Shakhtar also rejected a €40m (£34m) bid from Napoli in January and had no interest in any bids worth €45-50m (£39-43m). Sudakov also signed a new contract in February that ties the 21-year-old up until December 2028 and includes a release clause of €150m (£129m).
Read more about Arsenal’s position on a transfer for Shakhtar star Sudakov, here.