Jurrien Timber remains sidelined with an ankle injury and has missed the last 11 games in all competitions as Arsenal prepare to play West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday, 10 May.
The absence comes as Arsenal ended the week by booking a place in the Champions League final and moved five points clear in the Premier League after beating Fulham and seeing Manchester City draw 3-3 with Everton. Bukayo Saka returned in the 3-0 win over Fulham, scoring and providing an assist in 45 minutes, but Timber’s continued absence leaves a hole in the defensive group available for the club’s run-in.
Martin Ødegaard, meanwhile, made a comeback from injury as a second-half substitute against Atlético Madrid on Tuesday after playing 57 minutes in the 1-1 first leg in Madrid last week. Ødegaard said after the game, "We have to take it a little day by day," and he was reported to have the chance to return against West Ham on Sunday, 10 May.
Mikel Arteta confirmed that Ødegaard and Kai Havertz were both in the squad for the Atlético match, saying, "Yeah [Ødegaard and Havertz] are available, they're in the squad, both of them," and added: "It's great because we need options. We need the capacity to play different games, from the start or after. It's really, really good news to have them both back." Arsenal beat Atlético 2-1 on aggregate to reach the Champions League final.
Arsenal’s treatment room remains busy. Mikel Merino has been recovering from surgery on a fractured foot; Arteta said, "He's another one that is going to push every boundary. He's out of his boot now. He's doing quite a lot of exercises already. He's reacted really well to the surgery. He's got no pain... I'm sure there is a chance to make that period shorter." Arteta also cautioned: "We don’t know yet, he’s doing some stuff on the pitch at the moment, but we need to get the gears up and be able to do more things before he can compete with us."
Kai Havertz has had a disrupted season: he picked up an injury early in Arsenal's Premier League win over Newcastle on 25 April and had previously missed four months with a knee injury and dealt with muscular problems. Martín Zubimendi was left out of Arsenal's XI against Atlético Madrid, though Diario AS reported that there were no fitness concerns regarding him.
Here is the timber injury update in context: Timber’s ankle problem is one element of a broader fitness picture that Arsenal must manage as the calendar narrows. The club’s squad welcomed the returning midfield options for the Champions League semi-final victory, but defensive choices remain constrained by Timber’s continued absence.
The tension is clear: Arsenal’s progression to the Champions League final and a stronger position in the Premier League has coincided with a cluster of injuries that could force selection compromises. Ødegaard and Havertz being available eases pressure in midfield and attack, and Merino’s positive post-surgery signs offer hope, but Timber’s missing presence in defence is unresolved.
The most consequential unanswered question now is whether Timber can return in time to contribute before the Champions League final arrives, or whether Arsenal will be forced to reconfigure their defence for the season’s biggest fixtures.
