2 more injured Arsenal players rejoin training pre-Athletic Club friendly | OneFootball

Kai Havertz and Riccardo Calafiori have returned to training with Arsenal ahead of the Gunners’ final pre-season friendly against Athletic Club.

Photo via Arsenal.com

With just over a week to go until Arsenal kick off their new Premier League campaign away to Manchester United, the good news is that Mikel Arteta’s squad is edging closer to having almost everyone available to play.

Gabriel Jesus is the notable exception, with no chance he’ll be back from his ACL injury for at least another few months, but the rest are expected to be fit in time for August 17th.

On that note, it was encouraging to see Kai Havertz and Riccardo Calafiori involved in Friday’s training session with Arsenal, suggesting they’re on the verge of comebacks from their pre-season setbacks.

Photo via Arsenal.com

The only remaining uncertainty is around Leandro Trossard. Arteta told his midweek press conference that Trossard had a chance to feature in Saturday’s friendly, but there was no sign of him in training on Friday.

It looks like the club will have to make a late call on the winger’s potential involvement against Manchester United.

In terms of academy call-ups ahead of the Athletic Club friendly, goalkeeper Alexei Rojas, centre-back Will Sweet, and winger Charles Sagoe Jr. were all involved in first-team training on Friday.

Photo via Arsenal.com

It seems as though Max Dowman has finally ended his participation in Arsenal’s pre-season programme, with no pictures of the player in Friday’s training session following Arteta’s admission that the youngster would be given some time off.

“He needs a little break as well because he hasn’t had any holidays really,” Arteta admitted on Wednesday. “So in the next few days he’s going to have a break which I think he needs and then he’ll probably be ready again to go.”

Dowman had been away with the England u17s over the summer, and he’s played a full part in pre-season with Arsenal to this point. It’s a lot for a 15-year-old to manage, so it makes perfect sense he’ll now get a break.

Given the youngster’s performances in the first-team friendlies, the fans will be ready to welcome him back with open arms once he’s rested up.