Arsenal injury update: Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber latest return dates | OneFootball

Gunners should get major boost for return against Fulham as Real Madrid quarter-final looms

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Arsenal will hope to have some good news on the injury front this week as their return to Premier League action is followed by a looming showdown with Real Madrid.

The title is all but lost for second-place Arsenal as they trail runaway leaders Liverpool at the summit by 12 points with just nine games remaining this season, though they can at least trim that deficit to single figures before Wednesday night’s latest Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Mikel Arteta’s side go to Everton next weekend, with the two legs of their massive Champions League quarter-final tie against holders Real Madrid then sandwiched between the visit of Brentford. They also play Ipswich and Crystal Palace in an extremely busy month.

With that in mind, here is all the latest Arsenal injury news and return dates, including updates on Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori.

Saka has not played since suffering a hamstring tear against Crystal Palace on December 21 that required surgery to repair.

He was expected to be sidelined until at least March, though with hope that he would be fit in time to face Real Madrid.

That has now been confirmed, after he recently resumed full training at London Colney.

Speaking ahead of the midweek clash with Fulham, Arteta confirmed that Saka was ready to start and make an immediate impact.

"Bukayo is ready to go," the Arsenal boss said.

"All the careful things are already done. Now it's about putting him in the grass at the right moment. But he's pushing because he really wants to.

"We have respected the timeline and we have done everything. He is ready to go."

Potential return date: Tuesday April 1, vs Fulham (H)

Bukayo Saka is expected to return against Fulham

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Riccardo Calafiori

Arsenal’s latest significant concern in an injury-plagued season relates to Calafiori, who suffered a knee injury during a nasty slip while playing for Italy in the first leg of their heavyweight Nations League quarter-final tie against Germany in Milan last week.

The versatile defender’s left knee buckled horribly underneath him as he caught his studs in the turf while trying to intercept a pass at the San Siro, receiving treatment before being taken off and then seen limping afterwards.

Calafiori was sent for scans and withdrew from the Azzurri squad ahead of the second leg in Dortmund, returning to Arsenal early for further assessment, and Arteta confirmed the defender is facing “weeks” out.

"Riccardo [Calafiori] unfortunately picked up a knee injury with the national team,” Arteta said.

“It could have been much worse. Hopefully it’s only a matter of weeks."

Potential return date: May 2025

Timber was a surprise absentee from the Netherlands squad to face Spain in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final tie in Rotterdam last week.

He was revealed to be suffering from illness and was not deemed well enough for the return fixture in Valencia, leaving the squad before they made that trip and returning to Arsenal.

However, Timber has recovered from that and is in contention to face Fulham.

Potential return date: Tuesday April 1, vs Fulham (H)

Kai Havertz

Arsenal will be without Havertz for the remainder of the season after he needed surgery on a serious hamstring injury suffered last month while blocking a shot in a training session during the club’s warm-weather training camp in Dubai.

He continues to recuperate and fans will hope he is fit enough to return during pre-season.

Potential return date: Summer 2025

Kai Havertz will not play again for Arsenal this season after undergoing hamstring surgery

Mike Egerton/PA Wire

Gabriel Jesus

Havertz’s fellow Arsenal forward Jesus had already been ruled out for the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his knee during January’s FA Cup third round defeat at home to Manchester United.

He also needed surgery and will likewise not return until the summer.

Potential return date: Summer 2025

Takehiro Tomiyasu

Tomiyasu has made just one solitary appearance for Arsenal this season, a late six-minute cameo off the bench in the 3-1 home win over Southampton on October 5.

He has otherwise been beset by injury setbacks, undergoing knee surgery in February and also being ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

Arsenal said they expected his recovery and rehabilitation programme to be completed towards the end of the year.

Potential return date: Late 2025