When will Jurrien Timber return for Arsenal? Mikel Arteta provides latest on £34m summer signing as defender recovers from ACL injury

The Gunners splashed out £34 million ($42m) when luring the highly-rated Netherlands international away from Ajax in the summer of 2023. The 22-year-old was expected to nail down a regular role for the Premier League giants, but suffered an unfortunate ACL injury on the opening weekend of the 2023-24 season.

Timber has taken in a long road to recovery since then, with Mikel Arteta saying when asked to deliver an update on the buccaneering full-back and when he may be seen again: “Still he’s got a few steps to make. He needs to play at least a game with the 23s. We’re going to have an in house game too. He’s done everything in training now it’s about getting him match fit.”

Arsenal will be back in action on Sunday when playing host to Aston Villa. There are suggestions that Gabriel Magalhaes is nursing a knock ahead of that game, with Arteta saying when asked about the Brazilian’s absence from training: “We've got one more day to prepare the match and we'll see if everyone is available.”

Arsenal head into a meeting with top-four hopefuls Villa sat top of the Premier League table, but with only goal difference keeping them above Liverpool – while defending champions Manchester City are just one point off the pace with seven games left to take in.