Jurrien Timber has not played for us since limping off 38 minutes into the 2-0 win over Everton on 14 March. That is 13 consecutive games missed across all competitions with a groin injury that was initially expected to be minor. It has been anything but.

Speaking at the club's media day on Thursday ahead of tomorrow's Premier League finale at Crystal Palace, Timber gave his most direct update yet on whether he can make the Champions League final against PSG in Budapest on 30 May.

"Hopefully. Yeah. There's hope. But like I said, we will see. I am working really hard. I am trying really hard and obviously playing a Champions League final is a dream. So I will give everything and then with the World Cup as well. But obviously first the Champions League final and it is going to be amazing."

Those words carry more weight given what Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman said earlier in the week. Speaking on Ziggo via NU, Koeman was blunt: "Jurrien has been dealing with this for quite some time. He is now training up again to see if he can make the Champions League final and if he is available for the World Cup. It does not look rosy at the moment."

Arteta addressed both Timber and Mikel Merino on Thursday. Merino, who has been recovering from foot surgery since February, took part in a light session and is expected to join full training on Friday. Timber is further behind.

"Mikel is going to start to train with the group tomorrow. Today he has done a little bit, but it was just a reintegration," Arteta said. "Jurrien, let us hope that he can do the same in the next few days. He is still a little bit further behind than Mikel at the moment."

That means Timber is unlikely to feature at Selhurst Park tomorrow. The target is Budapest.

The complication is that we have lost both of our senior right-backs at the worst possible time. Ben White suffered a knee ligament injury against West Ham on 10 May and is out for the rest of the season. With White gone and Timber still not in full training, Cristhian Mosquera is Arteta's only recognised option at right-back for both remaining fixtures.

Declan Rice was used there against West Ham and struggled, with Arteta restoring him to midfield at half-time. William Saliba could theoretically shift across, though he has not played right-back since his loan at Marseille in 2021-22.

If Timber recovers in time, his role in Budapest is likely to be from the bench rather than in the starting eleven. He has been out for over two months. Mosquera will almost certainly start the Champions League final regardless, and the question is whether Timber can get fit enough to offer something in the closing stages if we need him.

Before his injury, Timber had made 43 appearances across all competitions this season with four goals and seven assists. His absence has been felt in ways the numbers alone do not capture, particularly from set pieces and in the aggressive, front-foot defensive style that defined our best defensive stretches of the campaign.