Arsenal are facing a defensive headache ahead of the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, with both Jurrien Timber and Ben White sidelined. Timber's chances of being fit for the May 30 showdown in Budapest are looking slim, despite stepping up his training this week.
Timber's fitness doubts
Timber has been out since mid-March with a groin injury and has suffered setbacks in previous comeback attempts. The Holland international is believed to be more confident this time, but Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has expressed concerns. Koeman, who will name his World Cup squad on May 27, said: "Jurrien has been dealing with this for quite some time. It has been on and off. He is now training up again to see if he can make the Champions League final and if he is available for the World Cup. It does not look rosy at the moment."
The hope is that Timber will join the first-team group ahead of Sunday's final Premier League match at Crystal Palace, though he is unlikely to be ready for that game. With Ben White also injured, Arsenal may have to deploy centre-half Cristhian Mosquera as a makeshift right-back against PSG's dangerous winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
If Timber fails to recover, he could miss the World Cup and might require surgery. His absence would be another blow for Koeman, who is already without Matthijs de Ligt, Jerdy Schouten, and Xavi Simons due to injury.
Merino's return
Mikel Merino is another Arsenal player hoping to return to full training ahead of the Champions League final after foot surgery. The midfielder has been out for four months and is set to miss the World Cup but has increased his training workload. Merino admitted it has been difficult watching from the sidelines, saying: "It's hard because on the one hand I want to be on the pitch supporting my teammates because I was born to play football. But if you cannot do it, you have to do it in a different way and make an impact."
Merino added that he remains positive despite his injury: "It's a dream to be honest, what you dream of as a kid and you can win the title, the Champions League, they are the things you can only dream of and now you are living them right now. I feel blessed, it's a huge opportunity."
