Arsenal on alert as England hit by Bukayo Saka withdrawal
England have been dealt a huge blow ahead of their two friendlies after Bukayo Saka was forced to return to Arsenal.
A shoo-in for Gareth Southgate when he’s fit, Saka has apparently been carrying an injury throughout this particular break, and as transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported, he’ll now be supervised by club staff in the hope of getting him right before the Gunners next match – a season-defining clash against Manchester City.
???????? England confirm Bukayo Saka left their camp as “returned to his club for continued rehabilitation on an injury he reported to St. George's Park with”. pic.twitter.com/LvSvpZrJuS
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 21, 2024
The nature of the player’s injury isn’t clear at this point, though it will surely be a worry for both club and country.
Arsenal are within touching distance of their first Premier League title in 20 years, whilst the Three Lions are arguably amongst the favourites for the Euro 2024 crown.
Of course, there’s little point in taking any risks with players at this stage and, in fact, it’s much better to wrap them in cotton wool and let nature take its course.
Arsenal within touching distance of first title in 20 years
Losing him for the City game would obviously be a blow for Mikel Arteta, however, having him unavailable for the final few games of the season because of a need to rush him back would surely be 10 times worse.
There are 10 days until the game against Pep Guardiola’s history-chasing side, and that should be ample time for Arsenal’s medics to do their best work.
The player’s own desire will surely play a part in his recovery too. If there’s one domestic game that Saka won’t want to miss, it’s the one that could bring them closer still to the Holy Grail.
Not since the Invincibles of 2003/04 have Arsenal got their hands on the Premier League trophy, so the 20th anniversary of that epic campaign would be a fitting time for those at the Emirates Stadium to be celebrating once again.
Time will tell if Saka needs to spend an extensive period on the sidelines or not.
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