Arsenal have received an encouraging injury update ahead of their Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich, with Piero Hincapie returning to individual training at London Colney.
The Ecuador international was spotted completing exercises on the grass at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Tuesday, suggesting he is making progress towards recovering from an ankle injury.
Arsenal news account HandofArsenal shared news of the defender’s involvement, while goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was also back in training.
Hincapie has been sidelined since suffering an ankle problem during a post-match warm-down following Arsenal’s 2-1 Premier League victory over Leeds United on October 10.
The 24-year-old subsequently missed the Champions League victory over Lille and Sunday’s narrow win against Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previously indicated that the injury was more serious than initially hoped, raising concerns about an extended absence.
“Piero is improving, but it looks more significant,” Arteta said following the Lille encounter. “I think it will be a matter of weeks, but we don’t know exactly how many.”
However, Hincapie’s return to the training pitch represents a positive development, even though he has not yet resumed full sessions with his teammates.
Wednesday’s visit to Bayern is expected to come too soon for the former Bayer Leverkusen defender, who will need to demonstrate his fitness before returning to competitive action.
Arsenal face Everton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, although Hincapie’s availability for that fixture remains uncertain.
His recovery is particularly important given the continued absence of William Saliba, who has yet to feature this season because of a back injury.
Arteta has relied on Gabriel Magalhaes and summer signing Ezri Konsa in central defence, with the partnership helping Arsenal maintain an impressive defensive record.
The Gunners secured another clean sheet against Forest, where Noni Madueke’s late winner extended their winning run to three matches.
Meanwhile, Kepa’s return provides another boost ahead of the trip to Germany.
The Spanish goalkeeper missed Sunday’s victory after sustaining a minor knock, allowing Illan Meslier to take his place among the substitutes.
Kepa’s involvement in Tuesday’s session suggests he could return to the matchday squad against Bayern, although David Raya remains Arsenal’s established first-choice goalkeeper.
Christos Tzolis also remains sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained during international duty with Greece.
Arsenal will hope their injury situation continues improving as they navigate a demanding schedule across domestic and European competitions.
For Hincapie, returning to the grass marks an important step, but the priority will be completing his rehabilitation without risking another setback.