Arteta now confirms £42m Arsenal star is unavailable for FA Cup game vs Portsmouth
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori won’t be available for the FA Cup third-round tie against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
The Gunners shared the spoils with Liverpool in the Premier League on Thursday night and will be aiming to return to winning ways against Pompey.
In his pre-match press conference, Arteta revealed that the game will come too soon for Calafiori, who has yet to recover from his recent muscle injury.
He told Arsenal.com: “I don’t think so. I think that game is going to be too early for him.”
Alongside Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera and Max Dowman (both ankle) are poised to miss the Cup tie, but Kai Havertz could be back in the squad once more.
The German was on the bench for the Aston Villa game after recovering from a long knee injury, but has been left out of the last two matches due to workload management.
Arteta acknowledged that the former Chelsea star has a chance to make the squad against the Championship outfit, provided everything goes well in training.
He added: “If everything goes well, I think he’s going to be in the squad again. He trains well, he’s increased his load, he’s coping with that really well and he will be ready when we can have him.”
Arteta is likely to make wholesale changes against Pompey. There could be at least nine from midweek, including Piero Hincapie, who picked up an apparent muscle injury on Thursday.
The Spaniard did not provide an update on Hincapie during the presser, held shortly after the 0-0 draw against Liverpool, but we should know about the Ecuadorian’s availability tomorrow.
Calafiori, who was signed for £42 million from Bologna in 2024, has been almost ever-present in the league at left-back this term, but there has been rotation in other competitions.
With him and possibly Hincapie sidelined, Myles Lewis-Skelly looks set to start at left-back after three games. He previously started and played 71 minutes against Brighton & Hove Albion last month.
Alongside him, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ben White, Christian Norgaard, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli are widely expected to make the XI tomorrow.
With three centre-backs out, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes could get the nod in the heart of the defence against Portsmouth. Arsenal will be eyeing a sixth-straight win over Pompey.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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