Arsenal Recruits in the Spotlight

Madueke, Gyokeres and Eze are set to play key roles as Arteta deals with injury crisis

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LONDON – Mikel Arteta said Bukayo Saka's recurring hamstring injuries are a "big concern" after the Arsenal winger was ruled out for at least two weeks.

Saka was forced off in the second half of Arsenal's win against Leeds United on Aug 23 and will be sidelined for the Aug 31 trip to English Premier League champions Liverpool.

The 23-year-old could be in a position to return to action in September, but Gunners boss Arteta is worried about his star forward's cycle of injuries.

Saka missed 3½ months of the 2024-25 season following surgery on his right hamstring in December 2024.

He returned in April and played 13 times before sustaining the latest hamstring issue, this time in his left leg, in just his second appearance of this season.

"He does not need surgery. It's not as bad as the previous one. He felt something, so he will be out for a couple of weeks," Arteta told reporters on Aug 29.

"But it is obviously a concern, a big one, especially when we talk about a sprinter and a player that gets into that zone very often in a football match, who needs that burst, that change of rhythm of pace to be as threatening as possible.