Earlier this week we reported Ousmane Dembélé's injury scare for Paris Saint Germain. On Thursday, Arsenal got a more encouraging fitness update of their own before the Champions League final. Mikel Arteta said Mikel Merino should start training with the group on Friday, while Jurriën Timber is still a little behind him.
What Arteta actually said
Arteta kept the language cautious enough, which matters here. "Mikel is going to start to train with the group tomorrow [Friday]. Today he has done a little bit, a light session. Jurrien, let's hope he can do the same in the next few days but [he is] still a little bit behind where Mikel is," he said.
That is better news for Arsenal than they had at the start of the week, but it does not mean either player is definitely ready for the final. The update points to movement in the right direction, not a done deal.
The detail on Timber matters because he has missed 13 games since his groin problem against Everton on March 14. Merino, meanwhile, last featured and scored in Arsenal's 3-2 home defeat by Manchester United on January 25. At Thursday's open training session, Timber was absent and Merino was spotted taking part.
Why the timing matters for Arsenal
This is where the optimism comes from. Timber's five most recent appearances already show he is back to logging meaningful minutes, including 38 against Burnley and 90 in the Champions League away leg at Atletico Madrid. Merino's last five appearances were all before the long layoff, so Arsenal are trying to bring back a player whose season was interrupted early.
Arsenal have gone five matches without defeat in this sample, and a late return for either player would give Arteta more options for the final. The update is strongest on Merino, because he is already back in light work. Timber is still the one to watch, and Arteta's wording makes that plain.
If both make the squad, Arsenal will have turned a tense final-week injury watch into a useful boost before facing PSG again in the final.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
