Arsenal’s current situation
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal fans are eagerly awaiting the return of Bukayo Saka. The England winger has been sidelined for six weeks due to a hamstring injury and is not expected to return before March 2025.
Following their defeat to Newcastle United, Arsenal have been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions. However, they remain in the Premier League title race. Despite Liverpool holding a six-point lead and a game in hand, there are still 14 matches to play.
Arsenal are also preparing for their Champions League round of 16 tie, where potential opponents include PSV Eindhoven, Juventus, AC Milan, or Feyenoord.
Saka’s recovery progress
Despite being injured, Saka has stayed close to the first team and has been seen on the sidelines during recent matches against Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Tottenham.
- He was seen using crutches during the Spurs match.
- The crutches were gone by the Aston Villa game.
- After the 5-1 win over City, he appeared more mobile, suggesting positive progress.
These signs indicate that his recovery is moving in the right direction.
Warm-weather training in Dubai
With no fixtures for the next nine days, Arsenal have traveled to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp. According to football.london, Saka and Ben White have joined the squad, along with Gabriel Martinelli, who picked up an injury against Newcastle.
This suggests that Saka is stepping up his recovery. If all goes well, he could start light training on the pitch when Arsenal return to England in mid-February, with a potential return to full team training by the end of the month.
Arteta’s latest comments
Mikel Arteta did not provide a clear timeline for Saka’s return but confirmed that his recovery is ongoing.
“There’s no news from the game against City. Ben White is still out, but hopefully, he’ll be available after the break. Saka, not yet.
I don’t know,” he added when asked about Saka’s possible return date.
