Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Bukayo Saka is expected to be sidelined for “more than two months” following surgery on his injured hamstring.
The 23-year-old winger sustained the injury during the first half of Arsenal’s 5-1 Premier League victory over Crystal Palace on 21 December, and was seen leaving the stadium on crutches.
Saka has been in excellent form this season, scoring nine goals and providing 13 assists in 24 appearances across all competitions. His absence is a significant blow for the Gunners, but Arteta gave an update after their 1-0 win over Ipswich on Friday, a result that saw Arsenal climb to second place in the Premier League.
“He had a procedure, and everything went well,” Arteta explained. “Unfortunately, he will be out for many, many weeks. I would say more than two months, but it’s hard to predict exactly how long.”
The Arsenal boss added that the recovery timeline depends on how Saka’s scar tissue heals in the coming weeks and the mobility of his injured hamstring. “We’ll see how it goes, but it’s difficult to give an exact time frame right now,” Arteta noted.
While Saka’s injury poses a significant challenge for Arsenal, there is some positive news regarding Raheem Sterling. The Chelsea loanee, who had been expected to miss several weeks due to a knee injury, is recovering quicker than initially feared. Arteta expressed cautious optimism, saying, “We’ll see how he progresses this week. We initially thought it would take longer, but it’s evolving well, and hopefully, that’s good news for us because we need him.”
Arsenal, currently six points behind league leaders Liverpool, will next face Brentford on New Year’s Day as they look to stay in the title race.
