Injured Arsenal 27yo eyes return this month | OneFootball

Arsenal defender Ben White is eyeing a return later this month following his recent absence with a knee injury, according to report.

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Jordan Davies reports for The S*n that Ben White is eyeing a return from knee surgery later this month, having already spent two months on the sidelines so far.

Mikel Arteta suggested last week that White remains “a few weeks away” from rejoining the squad, which suggests a similar timeline to the one Davies is reporting.

But with Arteta, a “few weeks” can mean anything from two or three to five or six. So a planned return at the end of January would be a big boost.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

It’s unfortunate that Arsenal have a lot of big games still to play in the meantime.

There’s the FA Cup third round clash with Manchester United this weekend, Premier League games against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, and the final two League Phase matches in the Champions League.

But Arsenal face Manchester City in the Premier League on February 2nd, before playing the second leg of their League Cup semi-final the following Wednesday, so White’s comeback could still be in time to make a difference in some key upcoming matches.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

White began the season as Arsenal’s starting right-back, playing 12 times including 10 starts. But knee issues were clearly causing him problems, and he ultimately had to undergo surgery.

Jurrien Timber is holding the position down well in White’s absence, but given his own recent injury problems and Takehiro Tomiyasu’s unavailability, there’s a lot of pressure on the Dutch international to perform and stay fit himself.

That pressure should ease when the other two are back.