Timber's Groin Setback Forces Early Arsenal Camp Exit

Timber Exits Arsenal's Spain Camp

Jurrien Timber has cut short his involvement in Arsenal's warm-weather training camp in Spain, travelling back to London over the groin injury that ruled him out of the final stretch of last season.

Arsenal's medical staff opted to pull Timber from the camp rather than manage him remotely, judging that continued training in Marbella, even at reduced intensity, carried more risk than reward for a player whose physical reliability at this level remains unproven.

The club believe the issue is related to the original groin complaint rather than a new, unrelated injury. A recurrence suggests the underlying problem was never fully resolved, only dormant. A fresh injury would point to bad luck. This points to incomplete rehabilitation.

A Career Disrupted Again

Timber missed virtually the entire 2023-24 campaign after rupturing his ACL on his Premier League debut. He returned in the final weeks of that season, showing flashes of his quality, but the groin problem then sidelined him again at the tail end of 2024-25.

Two serious injuries in two seasons, different mechanisms, different body parts. Arsenal have built their defensive depth around the assumption that Timber would be available, and that assumption is fraying.

The medical timeline now becomes the story. Arsenal's pre-season schedule will not pause for one player, and Mikel Arteta needs to know whether Timber can be part of his plans for the Premier League opener or whether the club must reinforce.