Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has pledged to return stronger after undergoing surgery for a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old suffered the setback during Arsenal’s dominant 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace on December 21, exiting the match in the first half. Saka also missed Arsenal’s narrow 1-0 win against Ipswich Town on Friday.
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Manager Mikel Arteta initially estimated Saka would be sidelined for “many weeks” but later confirmed the winger had undergone surgery.
Speaking after the Ipswich match, Arteta revealed: “Everything went well, but unfortunately, he’ll be out for many, many weeks.”
On Saturday, Saka shared a photo from his hospital bed with the caption: “The majority see obstacles, but few see opportunities. Recovery has begun, and I’m coming back stronger! Thank you for your messages. #GodsPlan.”
Saka’s recovery timeline suggests he won’t return until March at the earliest. Arteta cautioned that rehab would take time, explaining: “The first week or so will determine how the scar tissue heals and mobility improves. It’s hard to say exactly how long he’ll be out.”
Arsenal Matches Saka Might Miss
Jan 1: Brentford (A) – Premier League
Jan 4: Brighton (A) – Premier League
Jan 7: Newcastle (H) – Carabao Cup
Jan 12: Man Utd (H) – FA Cup
Jan 15: Tottenham (H) – Premier League
Jan 18: Aston Villa (H) – Premier League
Jan 22: Dinamo Zagreb (H) – Champions League
Jan 25: Wolves (A) – Premier League
Jan 29: Girona (A) – Champions League
Feb 2: Man City (H) – Premier League
Feb 5: Newcastle (A) – Carabao Cup
Feb 15: Leicester (A) – Premier League
Feb 22: West Ham (H) – Premier League
Feb 25: Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League
Arteta emphasized that Arsenal will focus on a collective effort rather than relying on a single player to replace Saka’s contributions. He said: “We can’t expect one player to replicate his attacking output. Our strength is in the team working together.
There will be moments where it clicks and moments where we’ll need to improve, but I’m confident we’ll adapt.”
Despite the setback, Arsenal will look to remain competitive across all competitions as they await their star winger’s return.
