Bukayo Saka out for 'more than two months' as Mikel Arteta reveals Arsenal star's surgery in worrying update
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Bukayo Saka will be ruled out for “more than two months”.
the extreme stopped with a hamstring injury in the 23rd minute of the 5-1 win at Crystal Palace last weekend.
Saka was pictured leaving Selhurst Park on crutches after the match.
Arteta later confirmed after the Gunners' 1-0 win over Ipswich that Saka underwent surgery for his injury.
“They did a procedure and everything went well, but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks,” he said. Arsenal the manager said.
Going into more detail about his expected stay on the bench, he continued: “It will be more than two months. I don't know exactly how much longer.
“It will depend on how the scar tissue starts to heal, about the first week, and how mobile it is. It's very difficult to say.”
Arteta added: “Bukayo's replacement is going to be the team.
“There were moments where it flowed well tonight and moments where you could see there's still work to do. But I'm confident we're going to get it done.”
“We have to trust the team and not the individual.”
It means that Saka will not play any role in the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup or the Champions League until March at the earliest.
Arteta had previously claimed that Saka would be “out for many weeks” and that his hamstring injury was “not looking good”.
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Saka had previously suffered a hamstring injury while playing for his national team in October during England's loss to Greece.
He then appeared to modify it again during his club's 1-1 draw with Chelsea in November.
Between now and the end of January, Arsenal will have played ten games, including league clashes against Tottenham, Aston Villa and Brighton.
Meanwhile, in their first match of February they will face the reigning Premier League champions. city of manchester.
Also included in that run are two Champions League group stage games, Arsenal's FA Cup clash at home against manchester united as well as the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle.
He will also miss the second leg against the Magpies, as well as the Premier League clashes against Leicester, West Ham and Nottingham Forest.
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Saka has started all but two of Arsenal's 18 Premier League games so far this season.
The Three Lions striker has also started five of the club's Champions League matches, as well as one Carabao Cup match.
Once again, Saka has been Arsenal's standout player this season.
He has already contributed nine goals and 13 assists in all competitions, just 12 goals shy of his tally from last season.
Saka would have hoped to add to his tally at Selhurst Park in what was his 250th appearance for Arsenal.
Only Cesc Fabregas and David O'Leary reached this milestone at a younger age than Saka.
