Arteta on Rices Fitness,...

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta addressed the media prior to Saturday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium (17:30 GMT).

Here are the main points from his press conference:

Arteta confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera will not participate in the match against Bournemouth as they are both still injured.
Declan Rice’s knee swelling has not subsided, and he will be evaluated after today’s training session. Arteta stated, “Let’s see how he feels. The Aston Villa match came too soon for him.”
When asked if he regretted that Rice played against Brighton following an injury but missed the Villa game, Arteta replied, “No, not at all. He was able to play through the pain thanks to adrenaline. Sometimes the body reacts differently, and unfortunately, his reaction was more significant than we anticipated.”
Regarding possible January signings, Arteta stated: “We are open to all options. If we can find a short, medium, or long-term solution, that would provide stability and prevent us from having to start the process of integrating a new player repeatedly. We’ll see how things develop in the coming weeks and aim to make the right choice.”
On whether Ethan Nwaneri might be loaned in January, Arteta commented, “Every player plays a crucial role; these roles can shift throughout the season for various reasons. Everyone must be prepared to contribute.”
Speaking about the team’s four-point lead at the top of the league, Arteta noted, “This is our current position, but there’s always room for improvement. Our primary focus is on Bournemouth.”
On Bournemouth, he said: “We hold them in high regard. I know Andoni [Iraola] well and admire what he is doing. We lost both encounters against them last season and recognize the challenge they present. They have the ability to pose threats from all angles.”
When asked if the squad is showing the energy needed to win the league, Arteta expressed, “The team demonstrates their desire every day; you can see how much they want success. We approach it day by day, embracing the process.”
On Leandro Trossard’s impressive form, he remarked, “His development has been notable every season. He’s a player who is eager to succeed and has found his maturity here. We’re very pleased with him. We’ve discussed this numerous times, and he seems very happy at the club.”
Regarding the returns of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz and their potential impact on Viktor Gyokeres, Arteta stated, “That’s what we’re aiming for—to have options considering our busy schedule. So far, we haven’t had that flexibility. We’re looking forward to having everyone back and performing, allowing us to adapt our tactics as necessary and field our best players in optimal condition.”