Mikel Arteta said Jurriën Timber has “progressed a little bit in the last few days” and is feeling better as Arsenal try to speed up his return before the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on 27 May. The manager said there is a chance Timber could play, but he would not put a figure on it.
“We’re going to try to get him available as quickly as possible,” Arteta said, adding: “There is a chance. But how big that chance is, I cannot tell you. I’m being completely honest. He’s going to try to do everything he can to convert that chance as high as possible in the shortest possible period.” Timber has not played since Arsenal’s win over Everton on 14 March because of a groin issue, and he was understood to have been close to a return at the end of last month before suffering a setback.
The update matters because Arsenal are dealing with multiple right-back availability problems at the same time. Ben White was confirmed on Tuesday to be out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, one that is also expected to rule him out of the World Cup, while Arteta said White must “wait and see” when it comes to the summer. Cristhian Mosquera is expected to fill in against Burnley on Monday night, and Riccardo Calafiori, who went off injured last Sunday at West Ham, is back in training.
Arteta said Timber remains central to what Arsenal are trying to do, especially with the season moving toward its biggest stage. “He’s such an important player for us. We all know that. He’s doing everything that he possibly can to help the team in any capacity. His leadership, his quality and how much the team needs him,” he said. Timber has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers this season, and the club’s urgency to have him back reflects that.
There is also a longer view to all of this. Arsenal are preparing for a possible Champions League final in Budapest against PSG, and Arteta’s comments suggest Timber is still being chased as a late-season option rather than fully ruled out. Calafiori’s return to training offers some relief, but the right side of Arsenal’s defense remains under pressure heading into a run that could shape the end of the campaign.
Supporters are adding to the atmosphere around that stretch. The REDaction group is again planning to welcome the team coach before the Burnley match on Monday night, after thousands of fans turned out before the Champions League semi-final victory over Atlético Madrid. “It builds an energy connection with them that we haven’t experienced before,” Arteta said. For Arsenal, that support is arriving just as the squad’s injury picture becomes harder to ignore.
