Declan Rice of Arsenal decides whether to play through injury pain against Chelsea.

Arsenal’s Declan Rice is preparing to push through injury troubles and play against Chelsea this Sunday, despite missing the club’s recent 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan due to a broken toe sustained in the previous game against Newcastle.

There’s a sense of optimism for Arsenal, as Rice has been included in England’s squad for upcoming matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.

Earlier in the week, Rice struggled with training and even had difficulty putting on his boot, but Arsenal remains hopeful he’ll be ready for the crucial London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Facing a pivotal point in Arsenal’s season after falling seven points behind in the title race and suffering a third loss in six games at San Siro, Mikel Arteta stressed Rice’s importance for the Chelsea match.

Rice, who has expressed fatigue following the Euros and a desire for rest, is highly sought-after by both Arsenal and England for their upcoming fixtures.

Ahead of the Inter game, Arteta gave an update on Rice’s status: “Declan unfortunately picked up an injury against Newcastle. It’s a knock, an issue with his foot, and he wasn’t comfortable putting on his boots, so he’s currently unfit. He wasn’t feeling well these past days. We’ll assess him on Thursday to see if he’s ready for Chelsea.”

Meanwhile, former Chelsea forward Kai Havertz confirmed he’ll be available for Sunday’s game against Chelsea, despite sustaining a head injury in the recent Inter match.

Arsenal is also taking time to replace outgoing sporting director Edu, who is set to take a senior role with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’s group. During his six-month notice period, Edu will be on gardening leave, with his deputy Jason Ayto stepping up as interim sporting director. Ayto, who has been integral during Edu’s tenure, is highly regarded within the club.