Mikel Arteta confessed that Arsenal remains in the darkness when Kai Herberts makes his comeback. The Arsenal striker was hit by a flare-up of a knee injury this week, staring at the long slept barrels on the treatment table.
Gunners chief Arteta revealed that the club is undergoing a thorough examination of the issue, suggesting that the source is crossing a finger that may settle after rest and doctor’s appointments. However, surgical intervention may still be needed amid concerns that something in his knee caused a regression.
Hubert experienced discomfort before the season and missed a friendly clash with Villarreal, and the issue once again raised his head after his replacement outing at Manchester United on Sunday.
Although not classified as a serious knee issue, it enforced a period of action-free period and caused Ebebekieze’s £67.5 million signature, Arteta admitted there is no fixed comeback timeline beyond his specific absence from his encounter with Leeds on Saturday.
This represents an overwhelming setback for Herberts, who had recovered from the last campaign of hamstring complaints, and now faces a new rivalry from the new arrival of Victor Gyoker.
Arteta commented: “Well, he certainly isn’t suited to this match. Unfortunately, he was injured, but we still don’t really know the scope of it. I think we need a little more time and more testing. Then we’ll be more clear about the next step.
“I don’t like to talk about the details, but he’s not appropriate. Like I said, we need to explore that issue a little more and then decide what we’re trying to do. The bad scenario is that he can’t play tomorrow.
“I want to make him fresh and available and bring what he brings to the team. Unfortunately, that’s not possible.” Despite batting this week and Hubert missing out on training, Arteta insisted that he remains a positive mind.
“Well, mentally, he’s in a good place. He’s a really strong boy and is extremely devoted. Like you said, he had an incredible recovery from hamstring surgery.
“Now he has a setback. Let’s see how bad it is, but I’m sure he’s going to deal with it in the best way possible. Like I said, he has the joy of a child.
