Beth Mead’s return to the travelling squad will provide a “lift” to other Arsenal players recovering from injury, says boss Jonas Eidevall.
England striker Mead, 28, missed the World Cup after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury last November.
She has travelled to Sweden for the Women’s Champions League first-round qualifier against Linkoping on Wednesday but is not set to play.
“This comes a little too early, but she is not very far,” said Eidevall.
Since Mead ruptured her ACL, Arsenal team-mates Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson, Laura Wienroither and Teyah Goldie have all suffered the same injury.
“Mentally we hope this is a lift for the other injured players too, to see her coming back,” added Eidevall.
“It’s so nice when you welcome a player back because you know how hard they have fought for so many months. That starts off the pitch and then on the pitch to be able to get into this shape.”
Last month, Mead said she “feels ready to go” and would love to make her England return against Scotland in their Women’s Nations League match on 22 September.
Arsenal’s four summer signings – Amanda Ilestedt, Cloe Lacasse, Alessia Russo and Laia Codina – are all also part of the travelling squad in Sweden.
The match against hosts Linkoping is part of one of four ‘league path’ tournaments being played this week to determine which teams, who qualified for the Champions League via league position rather than as champions, progress to the next round.
If they beat Linkoping, Arsenal would face the winners of Paris FC against Ukraine’s Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih on Saturday for a place in the second round of qualifying.
The likes of Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Wolfsburg enter the tournament in the second round, the final matches before the group stage.
The 2023-24 Women’s Super League season starts on 1 October, with Arsenal beginning their campaign against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium.
