Arsenal have reportedly suffered another major injury setback, with Bukayo Saka now expected to spend several more weeks on the sidelines.
The England international has been unavailable since suffering a hamstring injury during Arsenal’s 5-1 Premier League victory over Crystal Palace on December 21. The latest reports suggest that his recovery has taken longer than initially expected and he could now be out until around mid-April.
The development represents another major setback for Mikel Arteta, who is already dealing with a serious shortage of attacking options at a crucial stage of the season.
Arsenal have lost several key forwards to injury in recent months. Gabriel Jesus suffered an ACL injury that is expected to keep him out for a significant period, while Kai Havertz has reportedly been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after undergoing hamstring surgery.
Gabriel Martinelli has also been sidelined with a hamstring problem and is expected to miss several weeks.
With Saka’s return now potentially delayed further, Arsenal could be left with Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and teenage forward Ethan Nwaneri as their main senior attacking options.
The situation is particularly concerning given Arsenal’s ambitions in the Premier League and Champions League. The Gunners are chasing league leaders Liverpool and will also be competing in the latter stages of Europe’s premier club competition.
Saka’s extended absence will therefore place even greater responsibility on Arsenal’s remaining attackers as Arteta looks for solutions to keep his team’s title challenge alive.
