Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has delivered a reassuring update on Bukayo Saka’s fitness, easing concerns over the winger’s availability for Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Bournemouth.
The 23-year-old picked up a hamstring issue during England’s surprising 2-1 defeat to Greece in the Nations League at Wembley last week. However, Arteta is hopeful that Bukayo Saka will recover in time for the weekend’s match.
Injury Update: Bukayo Saka and Other Key Players
Bukayo Saka was withdrawn from the Greece match and missed England’s 3-1 victory over Finland, returning to Arsenal for further assessment. Despite the injury scare, Arteta confirmed that the issue is minor and that Saka is improving.
“(Bukayo Saka) doesn’t have a serious injury,” Arteta told reporters on Friday. “He has made good progress over the past two days. He wasn’t ready for England’s second game, but we’re optimistic. He trained lightly yesterday, and we’ll see how he feels in today’s session.”
Bukayo Saka has been instrumental for Arsenal this season, registering two goals and seven assists in seven Premier League matches, underscoring his importance to the team.
Arteta also gave updates on other injury concerns. Kai Havertz is battling a knee problem, which kept him out of Germany’s recent Nations League matches against Bosnia and the Netherlands. However, the manager remains positive about the forward’s recovery.
“Havertz had some issues, but he’s been brilliant. His communication with the national team has been fantastic,” Arteta said. “If he completes today’s training successfully, he has a good chance of playing.”
Gabriel Martinelli, another doubt for the Bournemouth game, recently returned from international duty with Brazil. Arteta hinted that the decision to play him would depend on whether the player feels fit.
“Gabi landed just yesterday, so we’ll assess him today,” Arteta explained. “It’s a short turnaround, and we’ll need to decide if it’s worth the risk.”
Meanwhile, club captain Martin Ødegaard remains sidelined with an ankle injury. Arteta stated that the next week will be crucial in determining when the Norwegian playmaker can return to action.
Arsenal’s Strong Start to the Season
The Gunners are currently third in the Premier League standings with 17 points from seven matches, trailing Liverpool by just one point. They aim to continue their unbeaten run against Bournemouth, who sit 13th with eight points.
Arteta Praises Tuchel’s Appointment as England Manager
During the press conference, Arteta also weighed in on Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as the new England manager. The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss is the first German to take charge of the national team and only the third foreign manager after Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.
Arteta said, “Tuchel is one of the best coaches in the world.” “I understand that some people may feel disappointed not to have an English manager, but it speaks volumes about how desirable the England job is.
“Even if you’re not from here, you quickly feel connected to this place. That’s a special quality England has, and it’s something very few countries can replicate.”
Arsenal will be hoping for positive news from their final training session, with Arteta’s squad eager to maintain momentum as they chase the Premier League’s top spot.
