Arsenal injury update: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus,Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and Ben White latest news and return dates as Pep Guardiola also confirms Man City injury blow ahead of Arsenal clash…

Arsenal Injury Update: Latest on Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, and Ben White’s Return Dates

Pep Guardiola has confirmed a setback for Man City ahead of their upcoming match against Arsenal.

As fixtures pile up, Arsenal faces new challenges with several key players unavailable.

While William Saliba and Myles Lewis-Skelly made their return in the hard-fought victory over Wolves on Saturday, Lewis-Skelly received a red card during the match, which may lead to a suspension unless overturned.

Mikel Arteta is also dealing with additional concerns, as both Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino were unable to participate in the trip to Molineux.

Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain injured, and the absence of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus has left Arsenal lacking in attacking options.

Here’s the latest on Arsenal’s injury situation:

Martin Odegaard

Martin Odegaard was unexpectedly omitted from Arsenal’s squad for the match against Wolves over the weekend.

The Norwegian midfielder had played the entire match against Dinamo Zagreb earlier in the week and traveled with the team to Molineux.

However, he had to return home due to illness, prompting Arteta to consider resting him for the upcoming clash with Man City instead of risking him in the Champions League match against Girona on Wednesday.

“Martin was ill this morning, and we had to send him back—he was not fit to play,” Arteta commented regarding Odegaard’s absence against Wolves.

Expected return date: Manchester City (home) on Sunday, February 2.

Mikel Merino

Mikel Merino was absent from the squad during Arsenal’s victory over Wolves.

The midfielder had played the full match in the draw against Aston Villa before being benched for the game against Dinamo Zagreb.

He sustained a minor issue in training that ruled him out of the Wolves match, but it does not seem to be a serious injury.

Arteta provided an update before the match: “Mikel also had a knock and was unable to train yesterday.”

Potential return date: Manchester City (h) on Sunday, February 2

Ben White

Arsenal has been managing without Ben White since he underwent a minor surgical procedure in November to address a knee issue. The right-back had been dealing with a joint problem prior to the surgery, and there are hopes that this procedure will allow him to return to play without pain.

Although White has not yet resumed first-team training, Arteta indicated last week that his return is imminent. “He hasn’t trained with the team yet, but he is very close to doing that,” Arteta stated. “He will be with us really soon.”

Potential return date: February 2025

Bukayo Saka

Bukayo Saka has been sidelined for over a month following surgery for a hamstring injury sustained against Crystal Palace in December.

The Arsenal forward has attended several home matches recently, but Mikel Arteta has advised him to take a holiday as he continues his recovery. This marks the first major injury of Saka’s career, and he is anticipated to be out until at least March.

Potential return date: March 2025

Takehiro Tomiyasu

Takehiro Tomiyasu has faced another injury-plagued season. The 26-year-old has played only six minutes of Premier League football and has been unavailable since early October.

Reports suggest that Tomiyasu is close to returning, but Arsenal has not provided a specific timeline.

Potential return date: Unknown

Gabriel Jesus

Gabriel Jesus’ season has concluded after he sustained an ACL injury during the FA Cup match against Manchester United earlier this month.

The striker has undergone surgery on his left knee and is now facing a lengthy rehabilitation process, with a challenging road ahead to be fit for the start of the next season.

Potential return date: Summer 2025.