As Arsenal prepare for the start of their UEFA Champions League campaign, they’ll do so yet another injury concern. This time, it’s their talisman on the wing, Bukayo Saka. The English international limped out of the north London derby victory on Sunday.
“I don’t know. I made two changes with the front players and suddenly he’s down. I don’t know exactly what it is but he could not continue,” is all that manager Mikel Arteta said after the match.
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Saka was able to exit under his own power, which is good news, and reports indicate that it’s only a cramp. Saka he should be able to feature against Atalanta and Manchester City. Shifting gears to the club captain, Martin Odegaard, the Norway team doctor, Ola Sand, expects the midfield maestro to miss all of September.
“Such ankle injuries often take at least three weeks,” said Sand.
“What we have so far obtained from the MRI examination in London is that there is probably no fracture in the ankle.”
So while the situation with Odegaard is suboptimal, it also could have been a whole lot worse. Elsewhere Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori missed out on the North London derby due to an injury to his calf. It is not thought to be serious though, and he could return some time in September.
The other major summer transfer window signing, Mikel Merino (fractured shoulder), remains out of action for the longer-term. The same could be said for Kieran Tierney (hamstring) is to returning to fitness.
Finally, Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) has still not returned to full training, and he won’t be doing so anytime soon.
“At the moment, it’s difficult to say,” Arteta said. “It’s a bit slow the process of the first phase of that injury. It’s probably for the medical team to say more on that.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.