Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed how the Gunners plan on easing Bukayo Saka back into action ahead of their crucial clash against Real Madrid in the Champions League next month.
Arteta lost Saka at the end of December to a torn hamstring with the England international yet to return after undergoing surgery for the issue.
Arsenal lost of a number of attacking players to injury over the next month or so with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both picking up season-ending injuries.
The Gunners failed to strengthen in the January transfer window, which was heavily criticised by fans and pundits, but they can now save their money for the summer.
Arsenal are all but out of the Premier League title race after Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the division to 15 points last weekend, although the Gunners do have a game in hand and still have to travel to Anfield later in the season.
Gabriel Martinelli was back in contention last week after a month out and now Arsenal will be hoping they can get Saka fit before next month’s crucial Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
Revealing their plan for Saka, Arteta told a press conference on Friday: “He is going to be here [at the Arsenal training ground], hopefully more with ball at his feet than he has had.
“That will mean he is passing the ball and shooting and running and everything. He has done quite a lot already on the pitch working on his own.
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“Next we need to arrange it with people around him in a more competitive training session and see how he goes with that.
“He’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making a very good progress I would say. So, let’s see when we start to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.”
A London derby against Chelsea is next up for Arsenal on Sunday with the Gunners looking to take advantage of Liverpool’s week off for Carabao Cup final duty.
Arteta added: “Well, let’s see. I think two teams that want to be very dominant in the way of playing are very aggressive on the high press and the way we have to have the ball.
“A lot of individual quality on that pitch so it’s about imposing what you want and the direction that you want to take the game and keep them very far from their strengths. I think that’s going to be a key thing as well.”
Like Saka, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly progressed through the Arsenal academy into the first team and Arteta is proud of the Gunners youngsters.
When asked if it was important for Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly to develop individually, Arteta continued: “Yeah, any comparison there I don’t think is right.
“I think they have a very similar pathway because obviously they played so many years together but after that they’re going to have different moments and each career will be unique and individual for them and they’re going to have to earn it and what one does is not going to reflect or affect the other one in a positive or negative way so that needs to be totally independent.
“It’s great, it’s a luxury to have someone that you spend so much time, trust and love next to you on that journey, use it in that way, that’s it and the rest is a way away.”