Bukayo Saka injury worries have grown stronger since a Champions League draw with Bayern Munich, as Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, admitted there were “not good signs” after the England international had difficulty walking after the match. Saka will get an MRI to determine the severity of his quad problem. Arteta said it had been hard to assess the situation immediately as there was swelling around the affected area, meaning the club has to wait for more medical tests and opinions from a specialist.
Arsenal’s boss sounded worried about the winger’s ability to move and felt he wasn’t feeling his best, but said that he was not yet ready to come to a conclusion about the severity of his injury. The club plans to take further assessments and “when you have to walk off the pitch, you’re not walking properly, you’re not walking without pain, that’s not good signs,” Arteta said. Although it is a setback, Arteta brushed aside worries about Saka’s future and said that the Gunners had to look after his workload, in order to help the midfielder keep playing well and fit.
The club’s next step will be to study the problem and determine the best way to deal with the physical demands of the forward when he returns to action and the timeline would depend on the findings of the medical examination, the manager said.
It is unclear whether Saka will be fit enough for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Everton. The possibility of his not being available could open up the door for teenage forward Max Dowman to be considered by the senior side. Dowman made headlines in March when he netted against Everton in Arsenal’s 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium, making him the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history, the report said. Arsenal will now wait and see how Saka will fare in his medical tests before deciding on his next steps.
