Arsenal receive huge injury boost as world-class player nears return ahead of Bournemouth clash

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could be handed a timely injury boost ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against AFC Bournemouth, with defender Riccardo Calafiori edging closer to a return.

The Gunners are looking to bounce back from their midweek Champions League disappointment against Paris Saint-Germain, and Arteta may soon have another option available as his squad continues to battle a string of injuries.

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According to Sky Sports News, Jorginho, Kai Havertz, and Calafiori remain sidelined from full team training but have been participating in individual sessions at London Colney. The trio is yet to rejoin the main group but are making steady progress with their respective recoveries.

What kind of team can we expect Mikel Arteta to play on Saturday? 🤔

Dharmesh Sheth reports from Arsenal’s open training ahead of their match with Bournemouth 🔴 pic.twitter.com/lcIoOtpMZD

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Calafiori, in particular, has not featured for Arsenal since their 1-0 victory over Chelsea before the March international break. The Italian suffered a knee injury while on international duty with Italy during their Nations League quarter-final defeat to Germany. Since then, he has missed key fixtures against Fulham, Everton, Brentford, Ipswich Town, and Crystal Palace in the Premier League, as well as both legs of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.

There had been hope that Calafiori would make his return in the semi-final clash with PSG, but his absence from Monday’s training session ruled out that possibility. Speaking earlier this month, Arteta had been optimistic about the defender’s recovery, stating: “If everything goes well, I think so – maybe a little bit earlier. Let’s see. He is on the pitch already. He is doing quite a lot of stuff and we just need to make the right steps now to make sure when he is back, he is in a good place to perform.”

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However, during his latest pre-match press conference, Arteta confirmed that the Italian is still not fully fit. The manager is expected to provide further updates on Calafiori’s condition, along with the status of other injured players, during Friday’s press conference.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Neto will be unavailable for selection against his parent club Bournemouth due to loan restrictions. In his absence, Tommy Setford is likely to be included in the matchday squad. The young goalkeeper was on the bench for Arsenal’s midweek trip to Paris and has regularly been called upon as the club’s third-choice option in Europe.

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