Bukayo Saka: Mikel Arteta reveals worrying new injury return timeline for Arsenal star after surgery | OneFootball

Gunners boss believes England winger is likely to miss more than two months after operation on his torn hamstring

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal are set to be without Bukayo Saka for more than two months after the winger underwent surgery.

The 23-year-old left the ground on crutches and has now undergone a successful operation to repair the issue.

Arteta has revealed that Saka is now likely to be out for more than two months while he recovers and may not be back in action until March.

“He had a procedure,” Arteta told reporters after a Saka-less Arsenal beat Ipswich 1-0 in a laboured win to end 2024 at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night. “Everything went well, but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks.

“I said many weeks so I think it will be more than two months. I don’t know exactly how much longer.

“It will depend on how the scar tissue starts to heal, the first week or so, the mobility of that. Let’s see, it’s very difficult to say.”

There is better news for Arsenal in that Raheem Sterling’s injury is not as bad as first feared.

The Chelsea loanee injured his knee in training last week and was forced to miss the win at Palace, as well as Friday's victory over Ipswich.

But speaking on Sterling after that game, Arteta said: “We have to see this week how he evolves.

“We probably expected the knee injury to take longer than it has evolved in the last few days. Hopefully that’s good news because we need him.”

Arsenal began their extended period without Saka by beating Ipswich 1-0. The Gunners dominated possession all game, but struggled to break down their visitors - who were happy to sit deep.

Kai Havertz was Arsenal’s hero in the end, scoring the only goal of the game midway through the first half, and the victory moves Arteta’s side up to second in the Premier League table.

“It will be different [without Saka],” said Arteta. “We had moments in the second half. It is a unit that is new and will take time for players to understand fully.

“In the first half especially we were super dominant and should have scored more chances. The second half we didn't start great and credit to them, they were tough to break down and are well organised.

“Considering all the circumstances we had this season, the amount of times we had to play with 10 men, all the injuries that we had, it's good to be in the position that we are [in the Premier League] but it’s not where we want to be. We want to be first.”