Mikel Arteta backs 'winner' Jurrien Timber to thrive at Arsenal after injury misery

Timber, who made only three appearances in the 2023-24 season due to an ACL injury sustained early in the Premier League campaign, recently featured in a closed-door friendly against Leyton Orient on July 20. Arteta is eagerly anticipating Timber's performances during Arsenal's upcoming tour of the USA.

"Timber's willingness is evident in his body language and actions. He's put in a lot of hard work and is currently in a great place," Arteta remarked. "We'll need to manage his workload carefully in the coming weeks, given the difference between his recent training load and the upcoming schedule, but we are very excited about his return."

Arteta highlighted Timber's leadership qualities, noting his strong presence and vocal nature on the pitch. "He is technically gifted and will be a significant asset to our team," he added.

On the topic of versatile defenders, Arteta also addressed Arsenal's interest in Riccardo Calafiori, the Bologna and Italy defender. Reports suggest that a £37.9m deal for Calafiori is nearing completion.

However, Arsenal have faced a setback with the news that defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season. The 25-year-old Japan international, who was set to join the squad for their U.S. tour, suffered a knee injury just before departure.

The full extent of Tomiyasu's injury is still unknown, but it is expected that he will miss the Premier League opener against Wolves on August 17. Arteta described the situation as "unbelievable," expressing frustration over the timing of the injury.

"It's a tough blow. He's been working extremely hard, but he had an unfortunate incident in training," Arteta said. "We're monitoring the situation closely and will have more information once we assess the injury further."