Bukayo Saka 'to miss another two months' as Arsenal manage injury recovery | OneFootball

Bukayo Saka could be sidelined for another couple of months as Arsenal manage his return from injury carefully.

The 23-year-old severely injured his hamstring during Arsenal's 5-1 obliteration of Crystal Palace on December 21 and underwent surgery a week later.

There was hope earlier in the week that Saka was nearing a return, having returned to light training on the club's warm weather trip to Dubai, but a report The Sun, widely circulated by other media, claims he is still some way away from returning.

It's potentially devastating news for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who was unable to add to his squad during the January transfer window. The Spaniard admitted to being "disappointed" by the lack of incomings, and his frustration likely turned to despair when Kai Havertz suffered a hamstring injury of his own this week.

Havertz is set to miss the remainder of the season, joining Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on the sidelines – the Brazilian recently hobbled off during Arsenal's Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle United at St James' Park - having scored 15 goals across all competitions.

Gabriel Jesus is also sidelined for the rest of 2024/25 after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in Arsenal's FA Cup third round defeat to Manchester United at the start of the year.

It leaves Arteta with few striking options ahead of an important run of fixtures. Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and emerging teenager Ethan Nwaneri are the only available players to Arteta, who has also been contending with injuries elsewhere.

Arteta admitted in his Friday news conference that Saka is still in the "early stages of rehab" but refuted suggestions he'd suffered a setback. Arsenal take on relegation strugglers Leicester City in Saturday's early kick-off.