Saka, Timber, Calafiori - latest Arsenal injury news and return dates before Fulham clash

Arsenal are now just a few days from returning to action with a Premier League clash at home to Fulham set to be contested on Tuesday evening. The Gunners picked up a positive result against Chelsea before the March international break, but their focus may instead be on the Champions League.

With a European quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid just over a week away, Mikel Arteta will be hoping to have Bukayo Saka fit enough to start. Before then, however, Arsenal play Everton and Fulham in the league with other key players doubtful to feature.

While Jurrien Timber was absent from the Netherlands' Nations League games against Spain due to illness, Riccardo Calafiori appeared to pick up a worrying knee injury. With all of that being said, football.london has taken a look at the latest Arsenal injury news before the visit of the Cottagers.

Bukayo Saka

Injury: Hamstring.

Saka returned to training at London Colney during the March international with some pictures also showing him in team sessions. Earlier this week, the 23-year-old marked his impending comeback by posting to Instagram with the caption, "Hello again."

What Arteta has said: "He's got a good chance [of returning in April]. He is going to be here [at London Colney], hopefully, more with the ball at his feet than he has had. He's getting closer; he's stepping up and making very good progress."

Potential return date: Fulham (H) - Tuesday April 1.

Jurrien Timber

Injury: Illness

Timber did not feature for the Netherlands over the March international break due to illness but he is expected to return for Arsenal against Fulham on Tuesday.

Potential return date: Fulham (H) - Tuesday April 1.

Riccardo Calafiori

Injury: Knee.

Calafiori picked up a knee problem on international duty during Italy's first Nations League encounter with Germany and swiftly returned to north London. He is currently being assessed by Arsenal and is thus a big doubt to feature in the next few games.

What Italy boss Luciano Spalletti said: "We don't know about Calafiori, his knee feels strange but he can't answer the question of what he feels.”

Potential return date: Mid-April.

Kai Havertz

Injury: Hamstring.

Havertz underwent surgery after tearing his hamstring during Arsenal's warm-weather training camp in Dubai and has thus been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.

What Arteta has said: "We were having a great camp in Dubai recharging, training, having some time off and connecting again with nature in a different environment, and then the injury happened in a very unexpected way. He was going to stop a shot after a set-piece and stretched the leg and he felt his hamstring."

Potential return date: June/July 2025.

Gabriel Jesus

Injury: Knee

Jesus is another expected to be absent for the remainder of the season after suffering a serious knee injury back in January.

What Arteta has said: "He had to come off on a stretcher with a lot of pain, touching his knee. It's not looking good."

Potential return date: October/November 2025 .

Takehiro Tomiyasu

Injury: Knee.

Tomiyasu underwent a second knee surgery earlier this month to fix a lingering problem and Arsenal do not expect him back until December.

What Arteta has said: "He’s been trying everything that he possibly could to try to avoid it [surgery], we did that with the department but at some stage, the knee wasn’t reacting as good and as rapidly as we needed it to and, between all parties, we decided the best thing to do was to to have that surgery again."

“Unfortunately it’s going to keep him out for a long period again and it’s very sad because he’s a player that lives for the game he is really, really keen to play and be consistent. When he's at his level he’s an incredible player for us.”

Potential return date: Late 2025.

Join the football.london Arsenal WhatsApp channel

Join our Arsenal WhatsApp channel and get all the latest breaking news, opinion, podcasts and in-depth stories from football.london's dedicated Arsenal writers straight to your phone!

By following this free service you will be the first to know the news from the Emirates Stadium as it happens, when it happens.

To join our dedicated Arsenal channel, all you have to do is click this link and you can join thousands of others following our Gunners coverage!

If you're curious, you can check out our privacy policy here.