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Arsenal have struggled to get two of their most creative influences – Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard – on the pitch at the same time this season.
The talismanic pair have featured in just 14 of the Gunners’ 31 matches in all competitions, with Arsenal losing just once when the pair have shared the turf. However, they are unlikely to be rubbing shoulders at the Emirates Stadium anytime soon.
long term an injury Odegaard was followed by a long spell for Saka at the start of the season, with Arsenal suffering without the latter since entering the treatment room before Christmas.
Arsenal need their star boy back as quickly as humanly possible, so what’s the latest on Saka’s injury?
Armory When Saka hit the deck during the 5–1 victory over Crystal Palace on 21 December, he was right to fear the worst. The winger lasted just 24 minutes before being withdrawn due to a hamstring problem, immediately undergoing a scan to determine the severity of the problem.
Saka has proven himself to be remarkably durable during recent campaigns, especially given the rough treatment he often receives from opposition defenders. This is definitely the most devastating and prolonged injury of his career to date.
Saka underwent surgery on his hamstring injury A short trip to Selhurst Park, however, with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admitting the forward will be sidelined for at least two months as he recovers.
Speaking back in DecemberThe Spaniard revealed: “He has had a procedure and everything has gone well, but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks.
“It will take more than two months. I don’t know exactly how long. It will depend on how the scar tissue starts to heal, the first week or so and its mobility. It’s very difficult to say.”
Saka was recently spotted at the Arsenal training ground but remains a bit off his comeback. Late February is the earliest we could see the 23-year-old back on the pitch, with a March return date currently the most likely.
Commenting on Saka’s recovery, Arteta recently said: “He’s been around a lot. It’s a pleasure to meet him. He’s always got a smile on his face. He’s going through a period that’s unfamiliar to him because he’s never been around for so long. Not injured time
“We’ve discussed what we can do together and what he can do to make sure that he spends enough time with the opportunities that he has, to make him a better person by using that time, so that when he It comes back to the right place.”
Arsenal’s no. 7 has already missed five games with a hamstring injury and is likely to miss at least ten if he doesn’t return until March. In that period, he would be absent for a number of key clashes in three different competitions.
in Premier LeagueHe will miss the second North London derby of the season as well as reigning champions Manchester City and the duels with high-flying Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. By the time he returns, the title race may be over but Liverpool are in a commanding position.
Arsenal will also be looking at Saka from the side as they close out their Champions League League stage campaign. Matches with Dinamo Zagreb and Girona will see him through as the Gunners look to reach the last 16 for automatic qualification, while the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final with Newcastle United will also be contested without the winger.
Arsenal have been alarmingly toothless in recent outings and that creativity vacuum has seen them stumble at the start of the New Year. Gabriel Jesus also suffered a nasty injury during last weekend’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United which could see him Miss the rest of the seasonThe Gunners will have to sort out their attacking issues in the January transfer window.
Currently, Arsenal’s four senior forwards are Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and on-loan Raheem Sterling, none of whom are in particularly exciting form. A splash of cash may be necessary this winter.
Arsenal have been linked with Brentford winger Brian Mbuyomo And the Cameroon international, who has scored 13 times in the Premier League this term, could be a suitable, if expensive, alternative to Saka.
Nico Williams has long been admired But the Athletic Club winger favors playing on the left, while the Gunners missed out on the chance to sign long-term target Pedro Neto in the summer as Chelsea swooped in to complete the deal quickly.
