Arsenal right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu has taken major steps in his recovery from an injury.
The Japan international suffered a calf issue in January, ruling him out of the last four Premier League outings alongside his nation's latest round of World Cup Qualifiers.
However, according to Evening Standard, Tomiyasu has stepped up in intensity in his road to a return to the Gunners' side, having recently been filmed sprinting in training with medical staff.
The 23-year-old's progress comes ahead of Saturday's home clash with Brentford, who took all three points from Arsenal in a 2-0 win on the opening day of the Premier League season after their promotion to the top flight.
Since arriving from Bologna for a fee in the region of £20m over the summer, Tomiyasu has made 16 league appearances for Mikel Arteta's side, starting each of those.
The club are yet to announce whether the right-back will be fit to make the squad for the weekend, while forward Gabriel Martinelli will serve a suspension after he was shown a red card last time out against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Sam Varley
