Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Bukayo Saka is set to miss several weeks due to a hamstring injury, delivering a significant setback to Arsenal’s title ambitions.
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The 23-year-old winger suffered the injury during Arsenal’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace last Saturday.
Saka limped off and was later seen leaving Selhurst Park on crutches. Arteta initially described the injury as “worrying” and refrained from offering a specific recovery timeline.
During Monday’s press conference ahead of Arsenal’s home match against Ipswich Town, Arteta shared an update, stating: “It’s not looking good.
He’s going to be out for many weeks. He was really emotional because he’s not used to being sidelined. He’ll recover, but it’ll take time.”
Reports from The Times suggest Saka’s absence could extend to six weeks, potentially ruling him out until early February.
This would see him miss vital Premier League clashes against Tottenham and Manchester City, along with other key fixtures:
Ipswich (H) – Dec 27
Brentford (A) – Jan 1
Brighton (A) – Jan 4
Newcastle (H), Carabao Cup – Jan 7
Man Utd (H), FA Cup – Jan 12
Tottenham (H) – Jan 15
Aston Villa (H) – Jan 18
Dinamo Zagreb (H), Champions League – Jan 22
Wolves (A) – Jan 25
Girona (A), Champions League – Jan 29
Man City (H) – Feb 2
Newcastle (A), Carabao Cup – Feb 15
Making matters worse, Raheem Sterling, Saka’s likely replacement, is also sidelined with a knee injury sustained last week.
Saka has been instrumental for Arsenal this season, scoring nine goals and providing 13 assists in 24 appearances.
His performances have propelled the team to third in the Premier League, just six points behind leaders Liverpool.
When asked about how Arsenal will cope with Saka and Sterling’s absences, Arteta ruled out entering the transfer market. Instead, he emphasized internal solutions:
“I’m working on some ideas. We’ve dealt with injuries to key players like Martin [Odegaard] and our defense before, and we’ll approach this with the same energy.”
Arteta hinted at reshuffling his squad, mentioning several players who could step into Saka’s role, including Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, and Kai Havertz. “We’ll discuss with them and ensure we make adjustments positively,” he added.
With Arsenal’s campaign entering a critical phase, the club will need to adapt quickly to maintain their momentum in the Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cup competitions.
