Arsenal injury update: Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz, latest news and return dates | OneFootball

Gunners sweating on fitness of several key defenders ahead Aston Villa showdown

Arsenal will continue their bid to land a first Premier League title in over 20 years when they face Aston Villa on Tuesday night.

A rematch from early December where the Gunners suffered their second defeat of the season serves as their final game of 2025 and one they will hope to gain a measure of revenge in.

Mikel Arteta’s side remain two points clear at the top of the Premier League after a nervy win over Brighton but have Manchester City breathing down their necks and continue to be hit by injury absentees.

Here’s all the latest Arsenal injury news and potential return dates...

Jurrien Timber

Arsenal were dealt a huge blow ahead of their Premier League clash against Brighton with Timber failing to make the matchday squad.

Timber did arrive with his team-mates at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, but was left out after sustained a knock late on in the Carabao Cup quarter-final penalty shootout win over Crystal Palace.

Arteta said: “We missed him because in the last part of the game he felt something and he could not carry on so he's out.”

With the games coming thick and fast, it remains to be seen if Timber will be able to solve Arsenal’s crisis at right-back for the visit of Aston Villa.

Potential return date: December 30 vs Aston Villa (H)

Riccardo Calafiori

Adding to Arsenal’s injury woes was Calafiori as he had to withdraw from the starting lineup shortly before kick-off against Brighton as Myles Lewis-Skelly took his place in the team.

Calafiori’s first season with Arsenal was disrupted by numerous fitness issues but he has managed to stay fit this term which has allowed him to established himself as the first-choice left-back.

The Italian, too, is a doubt for the Aston Villa game after a “very awkward” injury sustained in training before the Brighton game flared up during the warm-up.

“It's something that he felt yesterday, something very awkward that happened, and today in the warm-up he wasn’t comfortable,” Arteta said.

Potential return date: December 30 vs Aston Villa (H)

Fresh concerns: Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Kai Havertz

Kai Havertz is closing in on a return despite Arteta raising hope of a potential comeback against Brighton before opting to leave the forward out of the matchday squad.

The German has not played since suffering a knee injury at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.

But he is back in training and could now be in contention to face Villa on Tuesday.

“Quite close,” said Arteta when asked ahead of the Brighton game how close Havertz is to returning. “I think it will be a matter of days, not weeks. Let’s see in the next steps how he responds to that.

“But he is, again, a player that we missed a lot, a player that brings the team into a different dimension. So, I am really happy to have him back soon.”

Potential return date: December 30 vs Aston Villa (H)

Ben White

Ben White is sidelined with the hamstring injury he suffered against Wolves on December 13.

The good news for Arsenal is that the problem is not as bad as first feared and he could return soon.

Arteta said last week: “He's evolving well. It’s not major injury but it will keep him out for a few games. I don’t think it’s going to be [major].

“Ben is a really fast healer as well so let's hope that we're going to have him in the next few games."

Potential return date: December 30 vs Aston Villa (H)

Cristhian Mosquera

Cristhian Mosquera has been ruled out with what Arteta has described as a “complicated” ankle injury.

It is unclear when Mosquera will return but it has been reported that he could be sidelined until the middle of January.

“He's going to be out for weeks unfortunately, it's much more than what we expected,” Arteta said this month. “But the player was feeling it.”

Potential return date: January 2026

Max Dowman

Max Dowman sustained an ankle ligament injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United a few weeks ago.

His injury is not set to require surgery but Arsenal have replaced him in their Champions League squad and the midfielder is set to be sidelined until at least February.

Arteta said: “With Max, unfortunately, he picked up an injury, so we did some scans and he is going to be out

Potential return date: February 2026