Mikel Arteta gives injury update on Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber ahead of Sporting clash

Arsenal could be without five key players in a potentially season-defining week (Getty)

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted he does not know when some of his key players will return after Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori all missed training ahead of the Champions League second leg against Sporting CP.

Arteta has been left sweating over the fitness of the key quintet ahead of a week that also includes a potentially season-defining match away at Manchester City in the Premier League.

However, the Arsenal boss admitted he was not sure on the timeline of a return for Timber and Saka, while remaining coy on the situation surrounding Rice.

“We have to wait until tomorrow morning to see how a few of the boys are, and then make the right decision with them,” explained Arteta.

When quizzed on the nature of the England midfielder’s problem, the Spaniard said that he did not want to tell reporters, adding: “I will see how he is tomorrow, but he obviously wasn't available to train.

“He has played a lot of games, and that is part of the issue. He is going to try to do everything he possibly can to be with us tomorrow evening. That's for sure,” he added.

On the possibility of either Timber or Saka returning, Arteta said: “Maybe one of them, so let’s see.”

The Arsenal boss added that Saka’s problem is “an Achilles issue” that the England winger “had been carrying for a while”.

“No [setback], there is progression. Hopefully, it's a matter of days and not weeks. But he has to see how he responds when he increases his load."

The quintet of Odegaard, Saka, Timber, Calafiori and Rice were all absent from training on Tuesday (PA)

Arteta was not able to offer an update on the fitness of either Odegaard or Calafiori – who were both absent for the squad for the 2-1 loss to Bournemouth last week – though both could be in contention to return this week.

Meanwhile, Piero Hincapie and Eberechi Eze were both spotted in training after only being fit enough for the bench at the weekend.

The injuries could leave Arteta without four or five potential starters ahead of a week that the Spaniard described as the “biggest opportunity” in his six-and-a-half years as Arsenal boss, though he was quick to highlight that the focus is completely on Wednesday’s quarter-final at the moment.

“The first task is qualifying for the semi-final of the Champions League. A big game,” he explained. “There's no space for the weekend.”

The Gunners will face Sporting at the Emirates on Wednesday 15 April before travelling to Manchester to face second-placed City at the Etihad on Sunday 19 April.