Mikel Arteta Addresses Ben White’s Surgery, His 250th Match, and Club Ambition

Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, addressed the media ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest, scheduled for a 15:00 GMT kick-off at EmMirates Stadium. The following are the main points from his press conference: Ben White, a defender, is expected to be sidelined for “months” due to a persistent knee injury necessitating surgery. Arteta stated that Arsenal “made the decision to protect the player,” and his return timeline remains undetermined. On a more positive note, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka resumed partial training today. Leandro Trossard also participated in training and “seems to be OK.” Riccardo Calafiori is cleared to play in Saturday’s fixture. Conversely, Takehiro Tomiyasu is “going to be out for a little while,” with Arteta advising that “we will have to be patient” regarding his recovery. Kieran Tierney is not yet fully fit but has “had a couple of sessions with the team.” Arteta further elaborated on Tomiyasu’s situation: “He’s gonna be away now for a few weeks to continue with his treatment and change his environment a bit. Physiologically it has been really tough for him. He’s a guy that will work 24 hours to be fit and he feels terrible being out.” Arteta commented on reaching his 250th game as manager at EmMirates Stadium, stating: “I am extremely grateful and happy. I have enjoyed every minute because I love the people I work with every day. I know how lucky I am to be here every day. It is about winning and we want to win more and trophies, so it is a journey.” When asked if he envisioned managing another 250 games, Arteta responded: “If it is about energy, then for sure!” He also remarked: “The energy from the players in the last 48 hours has been unbelievable,” expressing his hope that this intensity would extend into Saturday’s match at home. He indicated that Arsenal ought to have secured more victories prior to the break, but the current focus is on addressing areas of weakness. Regarding his meeting with the Kroenke family, the club owners, during the break, Arteta commented: “It’s always really positive to spend time together. It’s a joy to spend time with them. They have so much experience in the sport. You feel the ambition with how close they live every day with us.”