Morning all, glad Friday to you.
It’s nonetheless very quiet, however there are just a few bits and items we are able to concentrate on this morning. First up, Jurrien Timber’s rehab from his ACL harm continues, and he’s made an enormous step ahead by being again out on the grass and coaching with the ball. Clearly that’s a really constructive growth, however I’d say there’s nonetheless some approach to go earlier than we see him in competition for a primary staff place.
I do know there may be all the time this factor with injured gamers, significantly throughout a troublesome spell of kind for a staff, the place their high quality will increase in direct proportion with the size of their absence. Nonetheless, he would unquestionably have been an actual asset within the first half of the season, and though it’s prone to take some weeks but to get him near being prepared, he may nonetheless play a component within the last a part of the marketing campaign. He may return and be rusty, or he may come again with recent legs and an enormous need to play a component having missed a lot of his debut marketing campaign with Arsenal. Let’s hope it’s the latter.
We additionally noticed Gabriel Jesus coaching, which has alleviated some worries I held once I heard concerning the knock he’d picked up forward of the Liverpool recreation. When it was the identical knee and so they noticed one thing on a scan, I used to be fairly anxious about it, however fingers crossed it’s nothing severe. The actual fact he’s on the market on the coaching pitch suggests we are able to calm down just a little bit. Not utterly, however a bit.
Fabio Vieira, one thing of a forgotten man of this season, is on the market too, as is Thomas Partey, however particulars of their potential return dates are nonetheless a bit obscure. Nonetheless, if these two return, with Takehiro Tomiyasu again in a few weeks from the Asian Cup (which kicks off for Japan in a few days), and Timber a bit additional down the road, we may have a a lot stronger trying squad as issues warmth up domestically and in Europe.
Whether or not or not we add to it in January stays to be seen. I feel we would do one thing, I’m simply not fairly certain what or when, however anybody anticipating an enormous cash signing or an enormous title arrival this month is prone to be upset – except one thing extraordinary occurs.
I assumed this was fascinating from Sam Dean in The Telegraph, a hyperlink to 22 yr outdated Netherlands ahead Joshua Zirkzee:
Arsenal are admirers of Joshua Zirkzee and are retaining a detailed eye on the 22-year-old striker. Bologna are believed to need round £50m so, because it stands, a January transfer is considered unlikely. One to observe. Story with @JBurtTelegraph #AFC https://t.co/CgZh1Rd8EW
— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) January 11, 2024
I don’t know an ideal deal about him to be sincere, however my intestine feeling in relation to a striker arrival is that this profile of participant is more likely than Arsenal shelling out £100m+ for somebody like Victor Osimhen, or a £70-80m summer time splurge on a 28 yr Ivan Toney. That is primarily based on no inside info in anyway by the best way, simply my very own opinion that we’ll attempt to herald a participant who can grow to be that sort of striker, slightly than the completed article. I may very well be utterly improper, however I additionally assume there are different issues we’ll need to do that summer time, and splashing a big proportion of the price range on one participant may nicely have an effect on that. Time will inform!
Lastly for at this time, there was a little bit of January switch window motion with Arsenal Ladies signing USA worldwide defender Emily Fox – information delivered to you first by Tim again in December. There’s additionally a departure with Kathrine Kuhl becoming a member of Everton on mortgage for the remainder of the season.
We additionally proceed to broaden our protection of Arsenal Ladies, and from Sunday onwards we’ll be carrying match reviews for each recreation over on Arseblog Information. As the location is 100% ad-free nowadays, we are able to solely do that due to your continued help on Patreon. If you would like further content material, and to assist us ship the most effective Arsenal content material throughout all points of the membership, it’s simply over a fiver month and you may join right here.
Proper, let’s go away it there. Under you’ll discover an Arsecast recording yesterday night with Ryan Hunn of Stadio, all of the hyperlinks you want to pay attention/subscribe are there. Have an ideal Friday everybody.
