Saka facing six weeks out with quad injury after Bayern withdrawal
Arsenal fear Bukayo Saka could be sidelined for a minimum of six weeks after he was forced off with a quadriceps injury during Wednesday's 2-2 Champions League draw at Bayern Munich.
The 25 year old will undergo a follow up MRI scan to properly assess the extent of the damage, with fluid around the affected muscle complicating the initial diagnosis. According to BBC Sport, club medics are estimating a minimum six week absence based on early examinations, though the lay off could run longer once results are confirmed.
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Who's out, who's back and what it means for the next two games.
Mikel Arteta addressed the situation, stressing the need for patience while specialists review further scans. 'We need a few more scans and opinions from the specialists,' Arteta said. 'When a player has to walk off the pitch, he is struggling to walk without any pain, and is restricted to movement, it is not a good sign. Let's be a little bit patient so we can give a definitive assessment.'
He added that the extent of fluid in the area had made it 'quite difficult to understand the extent of the injury' straight after the game, with more clarity expected once the follow up scan results are in.
A recurring theme for Saka
Saka will miss Saturday's home Premier League clash with Everton, with Arsenal sitting second and hoping to close the gap on leaders Manchester City. If the early timeline proves accurate, he would also miss England's Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain.
This is not an isolated incident. Saka suffered an Achilles injury in March that cost him the international break and seven games for Arsenal, and he also picked up a hip problem in the warm up before a game against Leeds in January, along with a separate hamstring issue that kept him out for around four weeks. A hamstring injury sustained in December 2024 required surgery and ruled him out for 101 days during the 2024-25 campaign.
Despite the stop start nature of his season, Saka still made 49 appearances as Arsenal won the title last term, and he has scored four goals in 11 appearances so far this campaign. He started the Champions League final defeat by Paris St-Germain before being substituted after 54 minutes, and his minutes were carefully managed at the World Cup, where he started just three of England's eight matches but scored a hat trick in the third place win over France.
Limited options in reserve
Arsenal attempted to add a world class forward to their frontline over the summer, with pursuits of Vinicius Jr and Julian Alvarez both unsuccessful. Christos Tzolis arrived from Greece but is currently sidelined with his own injury, leaving Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and 16 year old Max Dowman as the alternatives on the flank.
Arteta has spoken positively about Dowman's ability to influence matches despite his limited minutes this season. Arsenal will await the full scan results before confirming a more precise timeline for Saka's return.
