Bukayo Saka is stepping up his recovery from a hamstring injury with the Arsenal star aiming to be in peak condition for the Champions League showdown with Real Madrid next month.
Saka has not featured since December, undergoing surgery after tearing his hamstring.
His absence has been a key factor behind Arsenal’s fading title challenge with Kai Havertz also sidelined for the remainder of the season.
The England international has been working diligently on his return and it’s hoped he’ll have the option to make his comeback following the international break when Arsenal tackle Fulham on the Emirates on 1 April.
Per week on from that game, Arsenal welcome Real Madrid to north London for the primary leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
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The return leg follows per week later in Madrid with a house game against Brentford separating the 2 fixtures.
With a lot of the Arsenal squad set to move off on international duty after the weekend, Saka will step up the ultimate stages of his rehabilitation before returning to full first-team training.
‘He’s going to be here [at the Arsenal training ground], hopefully more with ball at his feet than he has had,’ said Arteta.
‘That can mean he’s passing the ball and shooting and running and all the things. He has done quite so much already on the pitch working on his own.
‘Next we’d like to rearrange it with people around him in a more competitive training session and see how he goes with that.
‘He’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making a excellent progress I’d say. So, let’s see after we begin to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and the way fit he can get quickly.’
Arsenal have also been boosted by the return of Gabriel Martinelli.
The Brazilian international also suffered a hamstring injury in early February, missing 4 games.
The Brazil international was back among the many subs last Sunday for the 1-1 draw at Manchester United and got here off the bench to get 11 minutes under his belt against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.
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