Soccer-Havertz and Jorginho could return for Arsenal before end of season
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Arsenal v GNK Dinamo Zagreb - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 22, 2025 Arsenal's Kai Havertz celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta delivered some positive injury news for the Champions League semi-finalists on Friday with possible returns for Kai Havertz and Jorginho before the end of the season.
The Spaniard also told reporters ahead of Arsenal's Saturday home Premier League game against Bournemouth that he expected France centre back William Saliba to stay despite reported interest from Real Madrid.
Germany forward Havertz has been out since early February following hamstring surgery, and had been expected to miss the remainder of the campaign, while midfielder Jorginho sustained a rib injury in April.
"If everything goes the way it's going at the moment and the way it's planned, I think he will have a chance to play a few games here in the season," Arteta said of Havertz.
"Jorginho is still out. Jorginho's got a bit more complicated than expected. Thankfully, he's fine, he's feeling good, he's recovering well.
"Hopefully if everything goes well in the next week or so, I think he will gradually integrate in the team."
On Saliba, he said recent conversations with the player indicated he wanted to stay.
"I'm quite confident that William is very happy here and that's the place that he wants to be," he said.
Arsenal are chasing a place in the Champions League final despite losing the home semi-final leg 1-0 to Paris St Germain and are second in the Premier League, with that title already clinched by Liverpool and four games remaining.
Beating Bournemouth, managed by Arteta's old friend and fellow-Spaniard Andoni Iraola, could earn a Champions League slot again next year for Arsenal.
Arteta congratulated Liverpool for their deserved title but said it hurt to miss out again.
"Big time," he said. "I understand that (Liverpool) is a team that is being more consistent and they have a lot of ingredients that you need to win it, but it's very painful.
"We have so much to play for still in the two competitions, Premier League and Champions League," he added. "The focus is there."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)
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