Initially, it was feared that the winger would be out until March after sustaining the injury during the Gunners’ 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace in December. ..Continue Reading
Saka has already missed the last two months, and his absence is part of a broader injury crisis at Arsenal. The latest long-term casualty is Kai Havertz.
The German player also has a hamstring injury, but unlike Saka, he is expected to miss the rest of the season, which is a significant blow to Mikel Arteta.
Gabriel Jesus was previously ruled out until the 2025-26 season due to a severe knee injury, while Gabriel Martinelli is sidelined for a month with a hamstring issue.
Arsenal had hoped Saka would return next month to alleviate the pressure on Arteta’s limited forward options. However, according to The Sun, the England international is now expected to be out for another eight weeks, worsening the Gunners’ problems.
Arteta is determined not to rush back his star player to avoid the risk of recurrence.
If Saka is out until mid-April, it could mean missing the final six or seven games of the season, by which time the Premier League title race may already be decided.
Following Wednesday’s Merseyside derby draw, Liverpool are seven points clear at the top of the league and will be observing Arsenal’s injury troubles with little sympathy.
Arne Slot’s side has so far avoided major fitness issues this season, with Ibrahima Konate being the only key player to miss significant time.
Arsenal’s attacking options have been decimated, and they head into Saturday’s game against Leicester with only three senior forwards available, including the 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri. Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling are expected to complete Arteta’s forward line.
If Saka remains out until April, he will not be part of Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad. There was already doubt that March’s World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia would come too soon for the 23-year-old.
Saka is almost certain to be an integral part of Tuchel’s future plans, but missing out on the initial squad will be a personal disappointment.
Meanwhile, Arsenal faces a challenging set of fixtures that could determine their campaign with several first-team stars unavailable. Among their next six Premier League matches are games against Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, and Chelsea.
There are also London derbies against West Ham and Fulham. The Champions League last-16 ties are scheduled for March 4 and 11.
