Arsenal
Arsenal’s injury crisis deepens at the worst possible time
Arsenal are staring down a brutal final stretch of the 2025-26 season with four key players stuck on the treatment table, and things are looking bleaker by the day. Ben White’s fitness is a major worry after Mikel Arteta told reporters post-match that “it doesn’t look good at all.”
More tests are coming to figure out exactly what’s wrong. Riccardo Calafiori also hobbled off at half-time against West Ham. While Gary Neville suggested on Sky Sports that it might have been tactical, Arteta was quick to set the record straight: the Italian was genuinely injured. Right now, he’s aiming for a return against Burnley on May 18, but that’s still up in the air.
Then there’s Jurrien Timber, who has now sat out 12 straight games since picking up a groin injury during the 3–0 win over Everton back on March 14. Arteta admitted the recovery has been far trickier than the club expected, even hinting the Dutchman might be done for the season. On a slightly brighter note, Mikel Merino is back training outside on his own following foot surgery in February. There’s talk he could make the Champions League final against PSG on May 30, though Arteta isn’t making any promises just yet.
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With the PSG final on May 30 just three weeks away, time is a luxury Arsenal don’t really have, especially with the medical room this packed. Losing Timber hurts because he’s Arsenal’s most composed ball-carrying defender; his knack for playing out of tight spots and switching the play is something the backline sorely misses.
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Calafiori brings a certain aggression to the left that nobody else in the squad can truly mimic. Meanwhile, Merino offers a midfield flair and grit. Losing even two of these three leaves Arteta forced into the kind of defensive setups he usually hates. Against a side like PSG, playing it safe simply won’t be enough.
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