Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on Tuesday that Japan international defender Takehiro Tomiyasu will not be part of the London club’s squad for the start of the new season due to a knee injury.
Tomiyasu, 25, missed Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the United States through injury and also did not feature in their 2-0 win over Lyon in London on Sunday.
“I think it will take a few more weeks unfortunately and the player will have to be patient and work through it,” Arteta told reporters of Tomiyasu’s injury.
Arteta said Dutch defender Jorn Timber is expected to join the first team next week after missing most of last season with a torn knee ligament that required surgery and also missed Sunday’s game against Lyon.
Arsenal, last season’s runner-up, will begin their new Premier League campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers next Saturday.