Arsenal’s coach Arteta tests positive for coronavirus

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has tested positive for coronavirus.

Arsenal said in a statement on Thursday that Arteta has tested positive for the virus, throwing their next game into doubt.

“This is really disappointing but I took the test after feeling poorly. I will be at work as soon as I’m allowed,” Arteta said.

He and the entire first-team squad and coaching staff will now be self-isolating in accordance with the most recent government guidelines.

Arsenal played Olympiacos in the Europa League a couple of weeks ago, and since then the Greek club’s owner Evangelos Marinakis has tested positive for the virus.

Wolves’ match against Olympiacos on Thursday evening was played behind closed doors as a precaution.

Arsenal has closed down the London Colney training centre after the manager received a positive Covid-19 result on Thursday evening.

A number of people from the Hale End Academy will also be in self-isolation, and the facility has been closed as a precaution as well. Both training centres will undergo a deep clean.

“Arsenal personnel who had recent close contact with Mikel will now self-isolate in line with Government health guidelines,” the club said in a statement.

“We expect this to be a significant number of people from Colney, including the full first-team squad and coaching staff, as well as a smaller number of people from our Hale End Academy which we have also temporarily closed as a precaution.

“We expect those who did not have close contact with Mikel to return to work in the coming days. In the meantime, our Colney and Hale End training centres will undergo a deep clean and our other club sites are operating as normal.

Arsenal’s head of football Raul Sanllehi said the club will work with Public Health England on the next steps in regard to the club’s facilities and staff, and with the Premier League, Football Association and relevant clubs around forthcoming matches in the Premier League and Emirates FA Cup.