Mikel Arteta has delivered an update on the fitness of Bukayo Saka and Oleksandr Zinchenko after they missed the Emirates Cup clash between Arsenal and AS Monaco. Gabriel Jesus was also absent from the fixture due to a knee issue with Arteta also providing the latest on his availability.
Mikel Arteta said: “Unfortunately he had a little procedure this morning. He’s had some discomfort in his knee that caused him some issues so they had to go in. He’s going to be out for a few weeks. It is a big blow because we had him back to his best, especially with the way he played against Barcelona and he was in good condition but unfortunately we lost him. We had to look at it and we had to make a decision and the best one is to protect the player and get him back as quick as possible. We decided to do it.”
Saka was also a noticeable absentee from the game just days before the Gunners take on Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley. Thankfully for Arsenal fans, Arteta confirmed that there was no fresh injury to Saka, but instead just a sickness bug.
Mikel Arteta said: “He was fine, but after he wasn’t feeling great on the bench. We didn’t want to use him. I think he had some sickness or some illness or something so we could not use him.”
Zinchenko is also facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the competitive season after missing all of pre-season with a calf issue. The Ukraine international has been plagued by that same muscular issue since his switch to Emirates Stadium, but Arteta revealed he is nearing a return.
Mikel Arteta replied: “He’s close. I think he’s going to start training with the team and hopefully we will have him back very soon.”
In his place, Jurrien Timber was deployed on the left-hand side with Takehiro Tomiyasu starting at right-back. Arteta’s decision to use the Netherlands international on the left hints that Zinchenko may not be fit for the weekend’s clash and the Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest with Arteta getting Timber familiar with inverting from the opposite side.
