Charles Watts has reported that Arsenal are without five first-team players in training on Wednesday morning as they prepare for their Champions League match against Atalanta.
The Gunners are facing an injury crisis in midfield, with key players missing from the squad during the recent North London Derby win over Tottenham, where Gabriel Magalhaes scored the decisive goal.
Declan Rice, who missed the last match due to suspension, is now back in training and available for the trip to Bergamo. However, the absence of five players from training indicates they may not be ready to face the current Europa League champions.
Watts noted from London Colney that, while Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori’s return to training is a boost for Arteta, five first-team regulars remain unavailable.
Martin Odegaard is out with an ankle injury sustained during international duty, and Mikel Merino is still recovering from a fractured shoulder he suffered shortly after joining from Real Sociedad.
Additionally, defenders Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney are also injured and not participating in training, effectively ruling them out of the match against the Serie A side on Thursday night.
Arteta faces important decisions regarding his lineup, especially with a significant Premier League clash against Manchester City just 72 hours later.
Rice is expected to return to the starting XI, while Jorginho and Thomas Partey will compete for midfield positions.
Jurrien Timber impressed at left-back against Spurs, meaning Calafiori may have to remain on the bench despite being fit.
