When Bukayo Saka could return for Arsenal | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has revealed that Bukayo Saka has a good chance of returning to action after the international break, following a three-month absence for the star winger.

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Arsenal went into the March international break on the back of a 1-0 win over Chelsea, and the hope is that the squad will be stronger upon club football’s return in two weeks’ time.

That’s because Bukayo Saka is finally closing in on a return from his hamstring injury, and Mikel Arteta seemed positive after Sunday’s match that the winger could be back in action when Arsenal are.

“Yeah, he’s got a good chance, yeah,” Arteta said in a post-match interview.

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Ahead of the Chelsea game, Arteta had said: “[Saka]’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making very good progress I would say.”

Riccardo Calafiori also gave an update in an interview last week, saying: “Everyone will be happy if he comes back (for the upcoming Real Madrid tie), he’s a top player and he will make the difference.

“You can see when he’s on the pitch that he makes a big difference. He’s an important player for us, he’s a top guy as well. He’s going to do everything to come back for Real Madrid.”

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John Cross reports for the Mirror that Saka is on course to return for the Real Madrid tie, adding that he could even be on the bench before then.

Arsenal have a couple of Premier League fixtures before Real Madrid, facing Fulham on Tuesday, April 1st, and Everton on Saturday, April 5th.

If Saka can be back in action in time for the Fulham game, which Cross suggests is a possibility, that would give him a couple of matches to get himself going before Arsenal host the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, April 8th.

Arsenal fans have watched Gabriel Martinelli return from a hamstring injury recently, and the winger made a couple of substitute appearances before his first start against Chelsea on Sunday.

But Martinelli’s hamstring injury was a much shorter lay-off, with the winger only missing a month of action. It may take a little longer for Saka to be ready for a start.