Arsenal have had a mixed start to the 2024/25 Premier League season, sitting five points behind the leaders Manchester City, losing their first game of the campaign against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. So far, they have won 1-0 at rivals Tottenham Hotspur and picked up a valuable 2-2 draw against Arne Slot’s Liverpool. Mikel Arteta welcomed five summer signings to improve on last season’s second-placed finish. The new additions include Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, and Raheem Sterling.
Merino recently returned to the squad after picking up a shoulder injury in training, boosting Arteta’s options ahead of a busy period before the turn of the year. However, ahead of the Premier League clash against Newcastle, there are a number of concerns for Arteta. Here are the latest injury updates in Arsenal’s squad with estimated return dates for each player.
Injury List
Arsenal are still without a flurry of key players following their 2-2 home draw against Liverpool in the Premier League. One of those absentees is Riccardo Calafiori, who was injured during a Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Long-term absentees include Kieran Tierney and captain Martin Odegaard, with the Norwegian unlikely to appear in the next couple of weeks. Here are the latest updates on each injured player, with insights from Arteta on when we can expect them to return to action.
Arsenal Injury List – 2024/25 | ||
|---|---|---|
Player | Injury | Expected Return Date |
Ben White | Unknown | Unknown |
Gabriel | Unknown | Unknown |
Riccardo Calafiori | Knee Injury | Unknown |
Martin Odegaard | Ankle Injury | Early November 2024 |
Takehiro Tomiyasu | Knee Injury | Unknown |
Kieran Tierney | Hamstring Injury | Unknown |
Ben White
Although Ben White played the full match against Liverpool last week, he did not take part in the EFL Cup match against Preston on Wednesday. Arteta justified his absence: “He was struggling at the end of the match [against Liverpool] so he wasn’t available for tonight’s game [against Preston].”
And although this is only a precautionary measure, no return date has yet been given for the English defender. However, the Gunners‘ trip to St James’ Park this Saturday could provide further explanations. If he is absent, his return could well be scheduled for next week, when Arsenal face two high-profile opponents in Chelsea and Inter Milan.
Gabriel
A key member of Mikel Arteta’s defence, Gabriel is Arsenal’s latest injured player. But while his early exit during last week’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool raised fears of the worst, his coach was keen to reassure everyone. And although he did not take part in his side’s 0-3 win over Preston North End in the Carabao Cup, the Brazilian could soon make his return to the Gunners’ ranks. T
ests are currently being carried out to determine a suitable date for his return. A remarkably reliable player, the former LOSC man has started each of the first nine league games this season, scoring twice in the process.
Riccardo Calafiori
Forced to give up his place during the second half in the Gunners’ Champions League victory against Shakhtar Donetsk, Riccardo Calafiori then did not take part in his team’s draw with Liverpool. And if his coach is to be believed, the Italian defender is not expected back on the pitch for a few weeks, certainly after the November break. With a knee injury, he is likely to miss at least the Premier League games against Newcastle and Chelsea, as well as the Champions League clash with Inter Milan. A major absence for a squad with several defenders on the sidelines.
Martin Odegaard
Odegaard suffered an ankle injury while playing for Norway during the September international break. It was clear that the awkward fall on his left ankle would sideline Arsenal’s playmaker for an extended period of time. And as October draws to a close, his return is still a long time coming. Arteta took the opportunity to give some news about his player ahead of the clash with Newcastle:
“He’s been on the grass for a few weeks, but there is still a few boxes to tick. How fast we can do that last stage of the rehab is a question we’ll have to answer once we have players around him and he starts competing with the team. He hasn’t done that yet.”
With less than two weeks to go before the international break, the Gunners’ staff will certainly be keen not to rush his return, even if it means not getting him back until the end of November. Answers will not be long in coming.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Takehiro Tomiyasu returned from a long-term injury against Southampton before the October international break. He picked up a knee injury in July and missed large parts of Arsenal’s pre-season. The Japanese defender made a six-minute cameo appearance against the Saints, though. This has led to another setback in his full return to fitness. Before the visit to Bournemouth, Arteta said:
“We don’t know that (how long he will be out for). It doesn’t look like, hopefully, a long period but we have to see when he comes back how he reacts to the load and to the impact on the pitch as well.
“But we really need him. He has been incredible, his work rate, the amount of hours he has put in to get back.
“He did it and he was in great shape – and now he has got something else again. But, we are all behind him. He needs our support and hopefully he will be fine.”
A return date for Tomiyasu is unknown, and with the injuries mounting in defensive areas, Arsenal fans will be keen to see him return sooner rather than later. Before the November international break, the Gunners have Premier League matches against Arsenal, Newcastle and Chelsea.
Kieran Tierney
Kieran Tierney has been out of action since he suffered a serious hamstring injury during Scotland’s last Euro 2024 match against Hungary. The left-back was previously linked with a move away from the Emirates, with a number of Premier League clubs interested, but the injury curtailed this possibility.
He has been named in Arsenal’s Champions League squad for this season, suggesting that he might be involved at some point before January, when the ‘League Phase’ of the competition ends. In the meantime, the Scottish defender will continue his recovery and make a return to the pitch before the end of the year. “I think he’s quite close,” said Arteta before the game against Preston. “He’s looking really good. I think he’s over the period where he was still struggling, so he looks really sharp out there. He hasn’t trained with the team yet, but hopefully, he can do that in the next week or two.”
Information gathered from Transfermarkt, Arsenal and The Standard – Correct as of 31/10/24.