Arsenal ‘could’ have key £170million duo back for Premier League title run-in
Arsenal may only have to play six more games before welcoming back both Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, according to one report.
The duo have been key cornerstones in Mikel Arteta’s side in the past few seasons, helping them finish second in back-to-back seasons.
Saka has developed into one of the league’s best players and attackers and had begun this season in star form with nine goals and 13 assists in 24 games before his lengthy layoff, he is currently one of the highest-valued players in the league, worth around £125million.
Martinelli, 23, had produced seven goals and four assists and has seen his value drop from late 2023 from £70million down to his current figure of £45million.
Recent injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have left Arteta with Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling as his only attacking options and that could derail any potential title charge as they sit in second, seven points behind Liverpool.
According to The Daily Mirror, the duo could return on April 1, meaning Arteta has just six games to navigate with them in attack. That would be a home game against Fulham in the league, a game they would be favourites to win.
Of course, Havertz and Jesus’s season-ending injuries were a massive blow given they were the two players capable of playing down the centre – and January brought no new striker additions.
Arteta has claimed his side are more than capable of coping without Havertz and co, for now. “Certainly it is a big blow because of the injuries that we have but fortunately, we’ve been through a lot this season.
“We have played without Gabriel, without Saliba, Ben White all season, Tomiyasu all season, Calafiori for two months, Merino for two months, Martin Odegaard for two months, Bukayo Saka for three months, Gabriel Jesus… all of them.
“That’s the challenge ahead. I love it and look forward because we are still where we are with all the things I mentioned on top of playing four times with 10 men.
“Let’s see what the team is made of. We’ve been through a lot and we have sustained the level of performance and results until this point, so we are more than capable of doing it.”
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Arsenal’s fixture schedule
With four league games and two Champions League legs to contend with in March, Arteta faces a season-defining month.
They need to win in the league to pile the pressure on Liverpool who have shown signs of slowing down after their incredible season to date.
Yet, the lead is still seven points, meaning any defeat or draw feels like a missed opportunity. They are set to face West Ham United (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Manchester United (A), Chelsea (H) and two legs against the winners of either AC Milan/Feyenoord or PSV/Juventus.
Mikel Merino has emerged as a potential option up front after his two goals against Leicester City at the weekend; typically a hard-working midfielder, he showed strong attacking instincts in both goals to suggest he could be an auxiliary forward for the time being.
