Jurrien Timber can make Champions League Arsenal debut in the quarter-finals after latest boost
Arsenal’s progression to the last eight of the UEFA Champions League has lifted the mood around the club to new heights. Mikel Arteta’s side overcame a very tricky FC Porto team which asked questions perhaps never raised to the Gunners under the Spaniard before.
They also had to do it without Gabriel Martinelli who was missing through injury but is expected to return after the international break having suffered a bad cut at Sheffield United. Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira have all returned to the squad but one notable absentee remains.
Jurrien Timber has been out since the first game of the league season when a knee injury caused him to require surgery and miss the last seven months. However, the Dutch international has been back in training with the group for some weeks and is building up to make his own return.
Starting the first game of the season at left-back against Nottingham Forest following his £38million move, it was clear Arteta saw Timber as a future starter in this side. With the quarter-finals now secured and taking place between the early-to-mid part of April it provides real hope that the extra time will see the 22-year-old be able to reintegrate before fighting for a spot of his own.
Arsenal have three games before their first quarter-final leg, they travel to Manchester City on March 31 before then hosting Luton Town at the Emirates Stadium followed by a trip to Brighton. There is however an under-21s game this Saturday against Blackburn in which there is a chance Arsenal could choose to use Timber and allow him some game time to help build match fitness.
With the time away from senior action, Arsenal could also host a behind-closed-door friendly
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