Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka to miss ‘many weeks’ with torn hamstring, with Arteta seeking solutions

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Bukayo Saka will be sidelined for “many weeks” after the 23-year-old England forward sustained a hamstring injury during Arsenal’s 5-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday. The injury, which forced Saka off the pitch in the first half, was confirmed to be a torn hamstring, and he was seen leaving Selhurst Park on crutches.

This is a significant blow for Arteta’s side, with Saka playing a key role this season, contributing nine goals and 13 assists across all competitions. In addition, Arteta revealed that Raheem Sterling, who had been providing cover for Saka, is also likely to be out for several weeks after suffering a knee injury in training.

With two key players unavailable, Arteta is faced with the challenge of finding a way to cope without his star winger. The Arsenal manager admitted that he does not yet have a fully formed plan but is hopeful that existing players within the squad can step up. One potential solution could see Gabriel Martinelli shift to the right wing, with Leandro Trossard taking his place on the left.

“I’m putting some ideas together. I haven’t got there yet but I have a few,” Arteta said. “I want to speak with them as well to understand how we are going to generate that and take it in a positive way. It means we’re going to be different.”

While Arteta has hinted at reshuffling his squad to cover the loss of Saka, he is not currently looking to make any moves in the January transfer window, preferring to work with what he has at his disposal. The manager’s focus will now shift to maintaining the momentum without his influential winger in the coming weeks.