Granit Xhaka will not return to full Arsenal training until New Year

Granit Xhaka will not return to full Arsenal training until the New Year as he continues to recover from a knee ligament injury picked up in the north London derby win over Tottenham

• Arsenal will be without Granit Xhaka until the New Year, it has been announced
• Xhaka suffered ligament damage to his right knee in the 3-1 win over Tottenham
• The Swiss star escaped the need for surgery and a longer period on the sidelines
• While he is ‘making good progress’, Xhaka won’t be back in training until January

Arsenal will be without Granit Xhaka until at least the New Year as the Swiss midfielder continues his recovery from a knee injury. 

Xhaka suffered ligament damage to his right knee in the 3-1 north London derby victory over Tottenham in September.

He had just returned from a three-match ban before being hit by the injury, although he escaped the need for surgery and a longer period on the sidelines.

Arsenal will be without Granit Xhaka until at least the New Year with his knee ligament injury

But an injury update offered by Arsenal on Friday morning confirmed he would not be returning to training before the end of 2021.

It read: ‘Granit is making good progress in the initial stages of his recovery from a medial knee ligament injury sustained on September 26.

‘The current aim is for Granit to be back in full training early in the New Year.’

Xhaka has made just five appearances in all competitions this season due to his suspension and then injury.

He saw a specialist just days after picking up the injury, which occurred during a collision with Spurs winger Lucas Moura.

Xhaka has since been pictured wearing a leg brace as he got back to light work in the gym. 

In the aftermath of the prognosis, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised Xhaka’s ‘top mentality’ and believes his ‘strong mind’ will allow the Swiss to return in ‘the right place’.

‘First of all it is a significant injury but he probably escaped an even worse injury than he could have had because that action for the cruciate ligament is a tricky one. 

Xhaka has made five appearances in all competitions this season due to a ban and his injury

‘His mentality is top. He knows what he needs to do. Hopefully he can escape surgery as well which is something really, really important and after that just start preparing himself in the best possible way because time flies.

‘Obviously it is really bad news personally for Granit because he has had a couple of incidents already this season with Covid, the suspension and now with the long-term injury.

‘But he has a strong mind and will use this time to focus on other things and I’m sure that he will be back in the right place when he is back but he is a big player for us, someone really important and he will be missed but other players have to step in.’

Arsenal’s resurgence in recent weeks has come without Xhaka in the team, with Arteta’s side now unbeaten in seven Premier League games. 

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