August 7th 2024.
Jurrien Timber may have only played three games for Arsenal, but he has already made quite an impact on the team. Unfortunately, he and fellow defender Riccardo Calafiori were not included in the squad for Arsenal's pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen. This has left fans wondering why they were not part of the lineup.
The Gunners are eager to have both Timber and Calafiori fully fit and ready for the upcoming Premier League season, which is just over a week away. After spending a significant amount of money on the two young players, Arsenal is determined to avoid any further setbacks.
Last summer, Arsenal spent £38m to acquire the talented Timber from Ajax. However, his top-flight debut was cut short by a serious ACL injury, leaving him to play only three games for the club. This season, they splurged £42m on Calafiori from Bologna, and they want to ensure that he does not suffer the same fate as Timber.
So, why were Timber and Calafiori not in the team for the friendly against Bayer Leverkusen? According to reports, Timber has been struggling with a "load-bearing injury" and will also miss the upcoming match against Lyon. This new injury is not related to his previous knee problem, but it has left him unable to play.
For manager Mikel Arteta, this is terrible news as he prepares for the start of the 2024-25 Premier League season. With just 10 days until their first game against Wolves, Arteta will have to come up with a new plan for his defense.
As for Calafiori, the Italian is still getting up to speed with his new team. Despite training with his teammates at London Colney, he is not yet ready to make his debut for Arsenal. The 22-year-old is dealing with general fatigue and is taking time to adjust to his new surroundings. However, there is no indication that he is struggling with any injuries.
Fans of the Gunners will have to wait a little longer to see Timber and Calafiori in action. But as they continue to recover and adapt, they will surely become valuable assets to the team. For now, Arsenal will have to find other ways to fill the void left by these two promising defenders.
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