Bukayo Saka has been pictured in training this week.Bukayo Saka has been pictured in training this week.
Bukayo Saka has been pictured in training this week. | AFP via Getty Images
Bukayo Saka has been spotted in first team training as he edges closer to a return from a hamstring injury.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has appeared to tease an imminent return from injury for the Gunners in a social media post ahead of the Premier League meeting with Fulham next week.
The England international has not played since limping off against Crystal Palace in the 5-1 win last December. Saka underwent surgery on a hamstring problem and Arsenal have lost key matches to West Ham in the Premier League, Manchester United in the FA Cup and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup over that period.
Mikel Arteta had admitted that there was a ‘good chance’ that the player could return to action in April and a new social media post from Saka appears to have confirmed that. On Thursday afternoon, the winger shared an image of himself in training smiling and with thumbs up, along with the caption ‘hello again’. Arsenal also shared the images with the caption ‘working hard’.
Bukayo Saka teases injury return on social media
That could point to the 23-year-old making a long-awaited return after three months when Arsenal host Fulham on Tuesday night as Premier League action returns following the break. The Gunners then travel to Everton before the highly anticipated Champions League quarter final clashes with Real Madrid.
Arteta’s side have also dropped points against the Red Devils, Brighton, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the league with a lack of firepower, not helped by other injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Speaking earlier this month, the Arsenal boss said that Saka was making ‘very good progress’ and Arteta provided a further update after the 1-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday.
When asked if Saka could return to action in April, he said: "Yes, he's got a good chance. He is going to be here [at the Arsenal training ground], hopefully more with the ball at his feet than he has had. That will mean he is passing the ball and shooting and running and everything. He has done quite a lot already on the pitch working on his own.
"Next we need to arrange it with people around him in a more competitive training session and see how he goes with that. He's getting closer, he's stepping up and making very good progress, I would say. So let's see when we start to throw him in with the team how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly."
Arsenal prepare ‘formal contract talks’ with Saka
Saka was not involved for England over the international break as Thomas Tuchel took charge of his first matches against Albania and Latvia. Before his injury, Saka has picked up nine goals and 13 assists across all competitions this season.
The winger’s return likely comes too late to ignite an Arsenal title charge with Liverpool already 12 points ahead at the top of the table. Saka’s return will buoy the Gunners ahead of taking on Real Madrid in the Champions League, which remains the club’s only realistic chance of silverware this season.
News of Saka’s upcoming return comes as the BBC reports that Arsenal are preparing to open ‘formal talks’ with the player over a new contract as he approaches the final two years of his deal. The club hope to avoid any uncertainty over the winger’s future and want to update his last deal, which was signed in 2022 and is understood to be worth £10 million per season.
In other news, Arsenal and all Premier League clubs are set to benefit from a change in rules to the transfer window this summer, as confirmed today.