Bold headline: Arsenal’s update on Havertz, Calafiori, and White reveals a mix of good news and lingering concerns that could change Wolves’ game plan. But here’s where it gets controversial: how the club balances risk with rotation when fatigue and minor knocks threaten squad depth.
Press conference summary
Mikel Arteta provided the latest on the first-team squad ahead of the trip to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night. Calafiori missed the FA Cup victory over Wigan Athletic after picking up a knock in warmups, but the manager reassured supporters that there is no lasting issue.
“He’s fine, he was training with us today,” Arteta said at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Tuesday. “He’s feeling better and hopefully he’s fit for tomorrow.”
Ben White, who had to be withdrawn in the second half of the same FA Cup tie, also avoided serious damage beyond some fatigue. Arteta explained: “It was just a bit of fatigue. He did a lot in the game. By the end, there was some hamstring tightness, but he’s fine.”
Both Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White are expected to be available for the Wolves match, but midfielders Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz will not be fit in time for Wednesday. There is cautious optimism they might return for Sunday’s north London derby.
“No, for Wolves (Ødegaard) isn’t going to be fit, but for Sunday we’re very hopeful he can be with us. Kai is another one who, for the weekend, is a possibility, so we’re looking forward to having him in the squad.”
In addition to team news, Arteta addressed the broader issue of injuries picked up during pre-match warmups this season. He described the incidents as varied:
“First, Wilo rolled his ankle against Liverpool. Then there were two warmup incidents involving Ricky in a very similar way. Bukayo had an unusual incident after resting in midweek and not playing against Kairat and then Leeds. He felt something, but it’s not serious.”
Arteta reflected on the pattern, noting this has occurred four times in a six-year period with only a couple of similar events before this season, and emphasized that the club is thoroughly investigating the causes.
Copyright 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
