Arsenal Stars Return from Injury Just in Time for Make-or-Break Premier League Kickoff

Arsenal's readiness for the forthcoming Premier League season has received a boost with Gabriel Magalhaēs and Jurrien Timber returning to full fitness.

Both crucial defenders have been absent from Arsenal's pre-season matches due to injury recovery, but were seen participating in complete team training sessions before the club's Wednesday fixture against Villarreal.

Gabriel hasn't been seen in competitive action by Arsenal supporters since sustaining an injury against Fulham on April 1st, just one week prior to the Gunners' Champions League quarterfinal encounter with Real Madrid. The Brazilian center-back, who has publicly expressed his ambition for Premier League success, remained out for the rest of the 2024–25 season before gradually returning this summer.

A training ground injury restricted Gabriel to only 45 minutes of play this summer during a private friendly match against Watford. Timber was completely absent from the Hornets fixture while rehabilitating from ankle surgery performed in May.

Riccardo Calafiori and Leandro Trossard remained unavailable as they continue their fitness preparations for next Sunday's Premier League season opener versus Manchester United.

Players including Viktor Gyökeres, Martin Zubimendi and—following a delayed debut—Noni Madueke participated in training. During his pre-season briefing, Arteta disclosed that the new signings have "disrupted the status quo". "These incoming players all bring quality and squad depth, which will be essential throughout the upcoming season," the manager expressed enthusiastically.

"We understand our objectives and what we aim to accomplish this season," Arteta added while focusing on a challenging Premier League title campaign. "There's tremendous confidence in our capacity to reach those goals. We've come extremely close in recent seasons and the entire squad will determine our success. However, we must ensure we don't lose focus on our daily requirements to reach our desired standards."