Taking from what Unai Emery has told us, Rob Holding could be available to register his first playing minutes this week.
Arsenal are due to face Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday for their first Europa League group stage fixture this season.
Holding tore a ligament in his knee last term which kept him out on the sidelines for nearly a year now. His return is much anticipated by the Gunners faithful after yet another defensive collapse cost Arsenal two crucial points on the road last weekend.
“Rob is training with us, he is playing with the under-23s in matches and he is very close to playing with us,” Emery said.
“If he is going to play with the under-23s (as he did) then that match is important for him to feel good, to feel comfortable, to feel confident. It’s a possibility that in the next week he could play with us.”
Holding has been starting games with the Arsenal U23s and has also been training with the first team. He has already put together a string of appearances and seems to be on schedule to make his return, giving Arsenal a much-needed boost in these trying times.
Emery also cleared up what Mustafi’s fate holds at the Emirates as the Spanish boss said, “Mustafi decided to be here and when he did, for me, he is another player like the others in the team.
“Of course, I respect his decision and, when he decided, I spoke with him and said ‘for me you are in the squad and I am going to work with you as with the other players’. I don’t know all exactly what was in his decision (to stay) but, when we spoke and he decided to be here, it was a start with him as another player in the squad.
“He is working every day with a big motivation and good experience. That is what we want, training with good experience, helping and, after, giving us his performance.”
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