Saka out for six to eight weeks as Arteta addresses burnout fears

Bukayo Saka is set to miss between six and eight weeks with a thigh injury, dealing Arsenal a significant blow as the season reaches a congested period of fixtures.

The 25 year old picked up the injury just ten minutes into Arsenal's Champions League draw with Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, and had to be helped off the pitch by medical staff. He was due to have a second MRI scan on Thursday afternoon after the first revealed fluid in the affected area, making it difficult for specialists to immediately determine the extent of the damage.

Speaking to reporters, Mikel Arteta explained why further assessment was needed. 'He's got another MRI this afternoon because he had quite a lot of fluid in the area so it was difficult to understand the extent of the injury. We will know more probably tomorrow,' Arteta said. 'Again we need a few more scans and opinions from the specialists. Obviously when a player has to walk off the pitch, he is struggling to walk without any pain, he's restricted to movement, they are not good signs.'

An 11th injury since September 2024

This latest setback is Saka's 11th injury since September 2024, a run that has also included a prolonged Achilles issue he played through at the World Cup. The frequency of these fitness problems has raised questions about whether the winger's body is being pushed beyond sustainable limits given his workload for both club and country.

Asked directly whether Saka had lost some of his physical robustness, Arteta pointed to the unprecedented scheduling demands modern players face rather than anything specific to the player himself. 'It's certainly been different in the last year or so and obviously the demands that we are putting to every player are immense,' he said. 'The amount of games, the intensity of those matches, the international competitions, the times as well between games are getting narrower.'

Arteta illustrated the point with Arsenal's own upcoming schedule, noting a Sunday afternoon fixture followed by a midweek Champions League game and then another match the following Saturday. 'So you go less than 66, 67 hours between games,' he said, adding that he hoped football's governing bodies would take note. 'If they can support all the demands that we are putting to the players in that sense, that would be as well really appreciated from everybody.'

Arteta dismisses burnout concerns

Despite the pattern of injuries, Arteta rejected the suggestion that Saka risks burning out before reaching his 30s. 'I don't have that feeling at all,' he said. 'But certainly what we have to be very mindful of is to create the right ecosystem around the player to fulfil all his qualities. And we really need to understand now when he comes back, whenever that is, how we are going to manage that load again.'

With no firm timeline until further scans are reviewed, Arsenal will be managing Saka's recovery carefully in the weeks ahead while navigating a demanding run of fixtures without one of their most important attacking players.