Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta has returned to first-team training ahead of Saturday’s game against Newcastle.
The 33-year-old has been out of contention since picking up his latest injury in November’s loss away to West Bromwich Albion and suffers with a chronic calf condition.
Though not a regular in Arsene Wenger’s first XI, Arteta has not yet started a league game this season, his absence came at a challenging time for Arsenal as regular anchorman Francis Coquelin suffers through a three month absence with knee ligament injury.
Indeed it was Arteta who was tasked with replacing the Frenchman but he came off with injury after just 35 minutes on the pitch.
Mathieu Flamini and Calum Chambers have been tasked with filling in for the absent duo over recent weeks and the former has been a qualified success alongside Aaron Ramsey.
However Wenger’s pursuit of Basel’s Mohamed Elneny would suggest that he is still not entirely convinced that either Flamini or Arteta, both of whom are expected to depart the club when their contracts expire at the end of the season, are adequate replacements for Coquelin.
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Indeed the manager has suggested that the Spanish midfielder may be better suited to a coaching role at the club.
He said last month: “I am happy with all my staff at the moment. But I think he can be a coach in the future yes and certainly here.”
