Arsenal receive major Jurrien Timber injury update ahead of UEFA Champions League final

Jurrien Timber looks unlikely to return for Arsenal before the UEFA Champions League final after new update from Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman

Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber is looking unlikely to return for The Gunners ahead of their UEFA Champions League final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

The Dutchman has been absent since the 2-0 win over Everton in which he came off with a groin problem.

Mikel Arteta said recently that he is doing everything he can to make it back, but that at the moment he simply was not fit enough to play for Arsenal.

“He wanted to be very close to the team,” Arteta said when asked in last week’s pre-Burnley press conference. “He’s progressed a little bit in the last few days. He’s feeling better.

“We’re going to try to get him available as quick as possible. But he’s obviously been out now for a while, unfortunately. “

When asked if he would return before the end of the season, he added: “There is a chance. But how big that chance is, I cannot tell you. I’m being completely honest.

“He’s going to try to do everything he can to convert that chance as high as possible in the shortest possible period. And that’s the challenge ahead.”

Despite the Spaniard’s optimism, Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman has since given an update of his own, which has undercut any positivity.

“Jurrien has been dealing with this for quite some time,” he told NU.

“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 doesn’t look rosy at the moment.”

In his stead, Ben White has also now suffered a season-ending injury and Cristhian Mosquera played at right-back in the win over Burnley.

Arsenal now have just one more game, against Crystal Palace on the final day, before taking on PSG for Arteta to decide whether to stick with Mosquera or go another route, assuming Timber does not make it back in time.