Arsenal: Mikel Arteta offers injury update on Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli's Champions League hopes

Evening Standard

·21 February 2025

Arsenal: Mikel Arteta offers injury update on Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli's Champions League hopes

Arsenal take on PSV in the last-16 of the Champions League next month

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Mikel Arteta says Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are “evolving really well” from their injuries - but he is unsure if they will be fit for Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 tie with PSV Eindhoven.

Saka tore his hamstring in December and underwent surgery, while Martinelli also suffered a hamstring injury earlier this month.

Martinelli has avoided surgery but, when he picked up the injury during a defeat to Newcastle on February 5, the Brazilian was expected to be out for a month.

Arsenal will face PSV Eindhoven in the last 16 of the Champions League in early March and Arteta does not know if they will be fit by then.

“I am not sure,” he said. “That’s a question for the doctor. They are both evolving really well.

“Probably Gabi Martinelli is a bit ahead of Bukayo, as well for the extent of that injury. But then we will have to see the next steps, the previous weeks before that, how the boys are feeling and what we are prepared to do.”

Bukayo Saka underwent hamstring surgery in December

Arsenal.com

Arsenal are taking on West Ham on Saturday and they have been boosted by the return to fitness of Ben White.

The right-back, who underwent knee surgery in November, was back in the squad for last week’s win at Leicester but did not come off the bench.

“He is ready to play, whether to start or not is a decision will make tomorrow,” said Arteta. “But he is certainly available now to be part of the group.”

Arsenal will be without Takehiro Tomiyasu and for the rest of the season after he underwent knee surgery.

Tomiyasu has played six minutes all season and is not due back now until towards the end of this year.

“Well, he has been trying everything that he possibly could to try to avoid it (surgery),” said Arteta.

“We did that as well with the [medical] department. But at some stage, the knee wasn’t reacting as good or as rapidly that we needed it to and between all parties we decided the best thing to do was to have that surgery again.

“Unfortunately it is going to keep him out for a long period again and it’s very sad, because he is a player that lives for the game. He is really, really keen to play and be consistent, and when he is at his level he is an incredible player for us.”