Arsenal duo closing in on returns after missing friendly win over AC Milan | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal’s defensive duo Gabriel and Jurrien Timber are set to return to action soon.

Both missed the Gunners’ 1-0 pre-season win over AC Milan in Singapore.

Gabriel was sidelined for the end of last season after undergoing hamstring surgery.

Timber, meanwhile, underwent ankle surgery towards the end of last season and also missed the closing stages of the last campaign.

Arteta says he is being cautious with both but expects them to be fit and ready by the time the new season comes around in August.

“Gabi, he felt a niggle the other day in training and we didn’t want to take any risk,” Arteta said.

“And hopefully in the next week or so he’s going to be available to train and play again.

“And with Jurrien, he’s getting very close. He’s almost hit every box that we needed after the surgery and the period of rehab that he needed, and I think in the next few days he’s going to start joining the team again.”

The Gunners continue their pre-season tour in Asia by taking on fellow Premier League side Newcastle United on Sunday.

Arsenal added defender Cristhian Mosquera to Arteta’s squad this week, who has flown out to Singapore to join up with his new team-mates.

“Raise the level, raise the competition,” Arteta said on what Mosquera will bring to his side. “And last season, again, we learned that with the depth that we had in the squad, the numbers in the backline, it wasn’t enough. And Cristian is going to help us a lot in that.

“He has different qualities than what we have in the backline. He’s going to add a huge amount of hunger because he’s so willing to come here and contribute to the team. And we have to give him a little bit of time to pick the ideas and to adapt here.

“But he’s got great qualities to make us better.”

Arsenal are also hoping to soon complete the signing of forward Viktor Gyokeres.

Arteta would not be drawn on the Swedish international until the deal is done, saying: “Whatever happens in the next few hours, I’m sure that the club would make a statement about it,” he said.

But the Spaniard suggested he too would fly out to Singapore to join up with the squad should the deal go through.

“Obviously, once we have finalised everything with that player, we want to integrate him with the team as quick as possible,” he said. “With Noni (Madueke), it wasn’t possible because he needed some time.

“I think he’s (Madueke) going to take a shorter vacation. I think he deserves it because he wants to join us straight away as soon as we are back. But the rest, immediately, I think is better so they can start to join the team, get to know each other and get the ideas that we want to put in their minds.”