Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka is facing a potential layoff of up to eight weeks after suffering a quadriceps injury during Wednesday’s 2-2 Champions League stalemate against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. The 25-year-old was forced to leave the pitch during the match, and medical staff currently believe he will be sidelined for at least six weeks, though the recovery period could extend further.
Assessing the full extent of the damage has proven difficult due to fluid buildup around the muscle, necessitating follow-up diagnostic procedures. Saka is scheduled for a fresh MRI scan on Friday afternoon to provide the club with a clearer prognosis. Head coach Mikel Arteta emphasized the need for caution, stating, “We need a few more scans and opinions from the specialists. 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’s got another MRI as there was quite a lot of fluid in the area so it was quite difficult to understand the extent of the injury.
If the medical staff’s early estimates are confirmed, Saka will miss a critical run of fixtures for the Gunners, as well as England’s upcoming Uefa Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain. He has already been ruled out for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Everton, a match in which second-placed Arsenal aim to reduce the three-point gap separating them from league leaders Manchester City.
Saka’s fitness has become an increasing concern, raising questions regarding his long-term robustness.
Arteta acknowledged that the player’s availability has “certainly been different in the last year or so,” pointing to a history of managing various physical issues.
During the 2024-25 season, the winger underwent surgery for a hamstring injury that kept him out for 101 days.
Throughout that campaign, he managed to make 49 appearances, but also contended with hip and hamstring setbacks, alongside an Achilles problem that hampered his participation during the March international break and subsequent club games.
Despite these stop-start periods, Saka remains a vital asset who helped secure the Premier League title for Arsenal for the first time in 22 years. He also played through the World Cup, where his minutes were carefully managed, starting only three of England’s eight matches but notably scoring a hat-trick in their 6-4 victory over France. In the current season, he has demonstrated his goal-scoring evolution with four goals in 11 appearances before this latest injury. And only started three of England’s eight games at the World Cup – scoring a hat-trick in the 6-4 third-place win over France, saka started the Champions League final defeat by Paris St-Germain but was substituted after 54 minutes. The Gunners boss had been speaking about how the player had been adapting his positioning to be more of a regular goalscorer for the club in recent weeks and the winger has scored four goals in 11 appearances so far this season.
With few natural wingers available, the setback forces Arsenal into a tactical dilemma. The club’s summer efforts to acquire top-tier offensive depth, including pursuits of Vinicius Jr and Julian Alvarez, proved unsuccessful. While they did sign Greek international Christos Tzolis, he is also currently sidelined with an injury. The team is now left to rely on alternatives including Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, and 16-year-old talent Max Dowman, whom Arteta has praised for his recent impact.
