Arsenal have received an early mixed injury update before their Champions League opener against Napoli, with The Standard reporting that Jurrien Timber trained on Tuesday morning while Cristhian Mosquera was not involved in the open session at Sobha Realty Training Ground.
Timber has not played this season after summer groin surgery, but the report says he is now nearing a return after increasing his workload over the past couple of weeks and rejoining first-team training. A decision was due later on Tuesday on whether he would travel to Naples with the squad.
Mosquera’s situation is less encouraging. The defender picked up a muscle injury against Aston Villa, missed the weekend win over Chelsea and was still absent from training on Tuesday, despite Mikel Arteta describing the issue after the match as “not too much”.
The Standard’s update therefore points to a clear difference in availability: Timber is moving closer to selection, while Mosquera looks unlikely to play a major role in Italy even if he makes the trip. That matters for Arsenal’s defensive planning ahead of a group-stage opener that comes quickly after the Chelsea fixture.
If Timber is cleared to travel, Arsenal would gain another option at a time when Arteta may prefer to manage his return carefully. If not, the club will have to wait longer for a player who has not featured since his summer operation. Mosquera’s absence from training remains the main short-term obstacle.
Taken together, this is a credible but still partial team-news update from a single Tier 2 source. It gives Arsenal a positive sign on Timber, but it stops short of confirming either player will be available against Napoli.
What remains unconfirmed
- Whether Jurrien Timber will travel with the squad to Naples.
- Whether Jurrien Timber will be fit enough to play against Napoli.
- Whether Cristhian Mosquera will travel or have any meaningful role in the match.