After a bad weekend for Mikel Arteta, it got even worse on Monday – and it’s unlikely to get any easier here on Wednesday night.
First, defeat at Newcastle left Arsenal seven points off the pace in the Premier League. That bruising loss was compounded after the game when Declan Rice complained of pain in a foot. Then sporting director Edu walked out on Monday, the club confirming the news broken by Mail Sport early that morning.
Now they must take on in-form Inter Milan without Rice – who has not even travelled here and faces a fight to be fit for Sunday’s visit to Chelsea.
‘He wasn’t feeling good in the last few days so we have to assess him on Thursday and understand whether he’s going to be fit or not for the weekend,’ said Arteta last night.
‘It was a knock, it’s a problem in his foot. He wasn’t comfortable to put his boot on.’
It has been a challenging few days for Mikel Arteta and it’s unlikely to get any easier in Milan
The Gunners are gearing up to face Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday night
A bigger issue for Arsenal, though, may be the loss of the man with whom Arteta admitted on Tuesday he shares a ‘special chemistry’.
He insists the loss of Brazilian Edu will not stop the Gunners competing for silverware, but the pair’s relationship was key to Arsenal’s recent title challenges.
Arteta said: ‘Everything happened very quickly. Obviously I loved working with him and really enjoyed being alongside him on this incredible journey. From day one we have been together and I’m very grateful personally for all the work he has done for the club.
‘We had this special chemistry and really enjoyed working together. He has an amazing opportunity now to do something else in a different role and he believes that is the right professional move for him. We have to respect that and everyone wants the best for him.’
That new role will see Edu front the multi-club operation of Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, which also includes 47-time Greek champions Olympiacos and the Portuguese side Rio Ave.
Arteta admits he has a ‘special chemistry’ with Edu, who is leaving his role as sporting director
The Brazilian, pictured alongside Arteta and last summer’s signing Declan Rice, has overseen an overhaul in Arsenal’s squad that has seen them become Premier League title challengers
In a huge blow for Arsenal, Rice has not travelled to Milan and may not be fit for the weekend
Mail Sport revealed on Tuesday that the Gunners made a counter offer, believed to be comparable with the one made by Marinakis, to try to persuade Edu to stay. But the lure of controlling several clubs was too strong for him to refuse.
Asked whether he had any message of reassurance for the Arsenal fans, Arteta said: ‘The plan and the vision that start with the ownership is very clear. It is going to continue.
‘We have a very strong leadership team with unbelievable know-how and a real passion and great feelings for the club. We are not going to stop where we are at the moment and across the club.
‘The excitement, the passion and the understanding of where we want to take this journey remains intact and that means opportunities for somebody else to come and fulfil their role. We have to move on because that is the reality of our industry.’
The Newcastle defeat came on the back of a draw against Liverpool and defeat at Bournemouth, making Wednesday night’s clash in Italy even more important. Like his manager, though, Bukayo Saka called for perspective.
‘Obviously there’s a lot of noise around the club and we lost two games and drew another one,’ said the England winger.
‘But at the same time it’s important to stay calm – doing all of these things can create more calm, but they can also create a bit more panic and chaos. I don’t think we need that right now.’
One bit of good news, at least, was the return to training of captain Martin Odegaard, who has missed 12 games since injuring an ankle on international duty with Norway in September.
Bukayo Saka has called for perspective after Arsenal’s disappointing defeat against Newcastle
The Gunners’ title hopes landed a major blow as Newcastle triumphed 1-0 at St James’ Park
However, having club captain Martin Odegaard back on the grass is a major boost for Arteta
The lack of creativity in Arsenal’s midfield in that time has been an issue and his return – not least with the trip to Stamford Bridge looming – could hardly be better timed.
Arteta added: ‘It’s great to have him back. He’s trained with us for the first time, a full session today. He felt good. He’s (back) a bit earlier than expected, but he wanted to be with the team, so we’ll decide whether to use him or not.
‘It is a big step that he’s travelled with us and is part of the team.’
