Arsenal's Declan Rice is gearing up to shrug off injury woes and join the battle against Chelsea this Sunday, despite missing out on the club's 1-0 loss to Inter Milan due to a broken toe sustained in the previous match at Newcastle.
There's a glimmer of hope for the Gunners as Rice has been named in England's squad for upcoming games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
The midfield maestro faced difficulty just getting his boot on earlier in the week, struggling with training, yet Arsenal remain optimistic that he'll take to the field in the crucial London derby at Stamford Bridge.
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Mikel Arteta, facing a pivotal moment in Arsenal's campaign after slipping seven points behind in the title chase and absorbing a third loss in six outings with the defeat at San Siro, acknowledges the significance of Rice's presence against Chelsea.
Although Rice himself has conveyed fatigue post-Euros and a yearning for respite, both Arsenal and England are eager for his contribution in their respective forthcoming tests.
Ahead of the clash with Inter, Arteta elaborated on Rice's condition: "Declan unfortunately picked up an injury against Newcastle. It is a knock, a problem on his foot, and he wasn't comfortable to put his boots on so at the moment he is not fit. He wasn't feeling good the last few days. We'll have to assess him on Thursday and see if he's ready for Chelsea."
Former Chelsea striker Kai Havertz has confirmed his availability ahead of Sunday's clash with Chelsea, despite suffering a head wound in a recent match against Inter.
Arsenal are taking their time to find a replacement for outgoing sporting director Edu, who is set to join Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis's group of clubs in a senior role.
Edu will spend his six-month notice period on gardening leave, while his deputy Jason Ayto steps up as interim sporting director. Ayto, highly respected within the club, has been instrumental during Edu's tenure.
Arsenal's top brass are due to meet with owners Stan and Josh Kroenke in Los Angeles next week to discuss future plans.
The recruitment process for the new sporting director is likely to be overseen by an external agency, with current managing director Rich Garlick, who has extensive experience in such appointments, expected to make an external hire.
