Bukayo Saka came off injured in England’s Nations League defeat to Greece (Picture: Getty)

Bukayo Saka injury update emerges ahead of Arsenal's trip to Bournemouth

14 Oct 2024, 13:01 by Tom Olver · Metro

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is said to be hopeful of returning to action in time for the side’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth.

Saka suffered a hamstring injury in England’s 2-1 defeat to Greece in the Nations League, with the 23-year-old clearly in some discomfort as he was replaced by Chelsea’s Noni Madueke in the 51st minute at Wembley.

The forward subsequently pulled out of Lee Carsley’s squad for the Three Lions’ victory over Finland, leaving his involvement in Arsenal’s upcoming trip to Bournemouth in serious doubt.

With two goals and seven assists to his name, Saka has been one of the standout players in the English top flight at this early stage of the campaign and his absence would come as a major blow to the Gunners at the Vitality Stadium.

Saka will be closely monitored by Arsenal’s medical staff over the coming days, though, and the forward is ‘hopeful’ of featuring against the Cherries on Saturday afternoon, according to The Athletic.

‘He’s being assessed,’ England interim boss Carsley told reporters when asked for an update on Saka’s injury after the loss to Greece.

‘In the build-up to the first goal you could see that he had felt something in his leg.’

Saka is hopeful of returning to face Bournemouth this weekend (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Arteta could have a selection dilemma on his hands, with Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz also struggling for fitness during the international break.

The Gunners are waiting to learn the severity of Martinelli’s calf issue, which has ruled the winger out of Brazil’s World Cup qualifier with Peru on Wednesday.

Havertz, meanwhile, has been nursing a knee problem and was forced to withdraw from Julian Nagelsmann’s squad for Germany’s Nations League matches versus the Netherlands and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

But Arsenal are confident Havertz’s injury is not serious and the attacker is expected to be available to take on Bournemouth.

Despite rumours of a setback in his recovery, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is targeting a return to first-team action next month.

Last week, Arsenal released footage of Odegaard stepping up his rehabilitation from an ankle ligament injury which has kept the Norway midfielder sidelined since the club’s 1-1 draw with Brighton.

There remain question marks over the fitness of Thomas Partey, Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of Arsenal’s trip to the south coast.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arsenal news, exclusives and analysis