Arsenal summer signing Jurrien Timber was dealt a blow as he picked up a long-term injury on his Premier League debut, but he could be close to a return.
Timber impressed in pre-season after his £34m move from Ajax, and was outstanding in the Community Shield, but ruptured a cruciate ligament on his league debut against Nottingham Forest.
It looked likely that the Dutch International could miss the entire campaign with this injury, but he returned to training in recent months, and fans have been excited at the prospect of him playing a part this season.
Mikel Arteta has now issued an update on his possible return from injury, and praised the defender for his performances in training since his recovery.
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Mikel Arteta gives update on Jurrien Timber Arsenal return
Speaking in his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s trip to face Wolves, Arteta revealed that Timber is still not ready to return to action yet.
“It is too soon. He’s going to play a game with the under 23s and after that we will see better,” he stated.
“Where he is, how he felt. He looks really good in training and it’s the last biggest step.”
Arsenal fans need to be patient with Jurrien Timber
Timber needs to be assessed in an under-23 game, where he can step up the intensity of his training performances, before he can be considered for first-team action.
Anterior cruciate ligament injuries often require a long recovery period, both from the initial injury, as well as post-recovery, with the player then needing to build up match fitness.
With Arsenal facing six crucial games in the Premier League title race, throwing Timber straight into action is highly unlikely to happen, and the best course of action may be to wait until pre-season before giving him time on the pitch.
Even when he does return, it may take a while for him to return to his top performance levels, and patience will be required to allow him to showcase his best ability.
Timber initially started the season at left-back, and he has a good chance of establishing himself as a starter in the position. Oleksandr Zinchenko’s recent form has been questionable, and Timber may provide the perfect balance of on-ball ability and defensive awareness on the left.
