Arsenal duo Riccardo Calafiori and Ethan Nwaneri are fit to play against Dynamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Wednesday after recovering from muscle issues, says manager Mikel Arteta.
Arteta called their return “very positive news” with Italian defender Calafiori having missed Arsenal’s past three games and 17-year-old English forward Nwaneri absent for four.
The return of Calafiori eases Arsenal’s defensive injury worries, with William Saliba, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu all sidelined.
Arsenal are third in the Champions League table with 13 points, and a win against their Croatian opponents at Emirates Stadium will put them in a strong position to finish in the top eight, meaning direct qualification for the last 16.
Failure to beat Zagreb and then Girona away next week would likely see the Gunners enter February’s play-off round.
While Saliba will not be ready for Wednesday, Arteta expects him to return in time for the Premier League match with Manchester City on 2 February.
“He’s evolving really well. The last few days he was feeling much better already but this game comes a little bit too early for him,” said the Arsenal boss.
-When asked if Declan Rice could fill in for Saliba in central defence, Arteta said: “It has been in my head. We have had to play him in different situations as a 6, 8, 10. He has the ability to do it.”
Spanish manager Arteta also said he is “very happy with what we have” up front, despite a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury for Gabriel Jesus prompting speculation Arsenal will invest in a striker during the January transfer window.
Kai Havertz is the Gunners’ only fit centre forward.
On Bukayo Saka, who underwent surgery on a thigh issue last month and could be out until March, Arteta said: “It’s not going to change. He’s feeling better day by day but we have to respect the healing process.”
