Saka injury latest with winger ruled out of at least 2 more games | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has ruled out a Bukayo Saka return before the international break, but suggested that Arsenal are hoping to have the winger back in a few weeks.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Speaking after Arsenal’s draw with Manchester United on Sunday, Mikel Arteta provided an update on Bukayo Saka’s potential injury comeback.

First-choice Arsenal wingers Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have been out of action recently with hamstring problems, but Martinelli returned to action against United at the weekend. Unfortunately, Arteta dashed any hopes that Saka will also be back imminently.

“With Gabi it was a bit different, the kind of injury that he had, and I think we talked about it last week that he was much closer than Bukayo,” Arteta said.

“After the international break, let’s see where he is – his progress is really good, he’s really willing, as you can imagine, so we are positive that in a few weeks, he’ll hopefully be back.”

Photo via Arsenal.com

A return after the international break means Saka is at least set to miss two more club games, against PSV Eindhoven and Chelsea – both at home.

The good news is that Arsenal aren’t desperate for goals against PSV. With a 7-1 advantage from the last-16 first leg, the Gunners just need to ensure they stay strong defensively on Wednesday.

Arsenal are also playing at the Emirates after the break, taking on Fulham, and it looks like that is Saka’s earliest possible return date.

James McNicholas reported for The Athletic on Sunday that Saka is only expected to return to full training “within the next month”, so it’s not impossible he might even have to wait to return against Everton on April 5th or Brentford on April 12th.

Arsenal will also hopefully have a Champions League quarter-final first leg between those two games, on April 8th or 9th.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Before all that, England fans will note that Arteta is seemingly ruling Saka out of international duty, with Thomas Tuchel set to name his first squad in the coming days.

Saka will likely be a key player for Tuchel over the next year and a half, but he’ll miss out on the new boss’ first games in charge this month.