Arsenal injury news: Arteta provides further positive update on Bukayo Saka recovery and reveals his next steps | OneFootball

Bukayo Saka is set to re-join team training soon as he steps up his recovery from hamstring surgery.

The 23-year-old has been out since December after suffering the injury but is set to return before the end of the season.

And boss Mikel Arteta says the plan is for him to take part in team training soon, having only done individual work so far.

“Hopefully he’ll have the ball more at his feet than his hands so that will mean that he’s passing the ball and shooting and running and everything,” Arteta joked.

“He’s done quite a lot already on the pitch but everything on his own, that’s true.

“The next bit is to integrate with people around him, with players around him, and take part in more competitive training sessions and see how he copes with that.”

Speaking earlier, Arteta also raised hopes that he could be back in time for the Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid.

“He’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making a very good progress I would say,” he said.

“So, let’s see when we start to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.”

Saka had scored nine goals and set up 13 in 24 games in all competitions prior to his injury.

Further injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli made matters worse but Martinelli is in contention to start against Chelsea having recently returned from injury.

Havertz and Jesus, meanwhile, are set to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring and ACL injury respectively.

Arsenal host London rivals Chelsea on Sunday and Arteta says he has been impressed with the job Enzo Maresca has done at the club since taking over.

“The moment seeing them in pre-season, understanding how Enzo (Maresca) works and the talent within their squad, my opinion was that they were contenders to win it from the beginning,” he said.

“They have so much there and the moment that everything comes together and they find that connection, the energy and consistency, I think they can compete with any team.”