Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, confirmed that defenders Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori were omitted from the Gunners’ pre-season victory against Bayer Leverkusen as a precautionary measure.
Timber, a Netherlands international, missed most of the previous season due to a knee injury, while Calafiori, who recently joined from Bologna for a potential fee of £42 million, was also left out.
“Jurrien had some discomfort in his foot in the past few days,” Arteta explained after the 4-1 win over the German champions. “Given his extended absence, we didn’t want to take any chances with him.”
Regarding Calafiori, Arteta mentioned, “So much has happened to him in a short period. He is adjusting to a new environment and training regime, and we are handling his integration slowly and carefully.”
Calafiori’s Potential Debut
Arteta expressed hope that Calafiori will be ready to play some minutes when Arsenal faces Lyon in their final pre-season match before the Premier League opener against Wolves.
The manager also praised Gabriel Jesus’s performance against Leverkusen, especially his goal from distance, and highlighted his potential impact on the team.
Arsenal’s Impressive Goals
Arsenal took the lead early against Leverkusen through Oleksandr Zinchenko, followed by a goal from Leandro Trossard. Jesus then scored a stunning goal, with Kai Havertz adding another to seal a 4-0 lead.
Arteta remained tight-lipped about the future of Eddie Nketiah, emphasizing the player’s contributions and stating that there are currently no discussions about his potential departure from the club.