Arsenal: Mikel Arteta reveals Bukayo Saka workload and why he doesn't fear new injury | OneFootball

England winger set to return against Fulham after being sidelined since December following hamstring surgery

Ready to go: Bukayo Saka has been building up his fitness in Arsenal training

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Your matchday briefing on Arsenal, featuring team news and expert analysis from Simon Collings

Sign up

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Mikel Arteta has revealed the extent of Bukayo Saka’s workload over the international break, with the Arsenal star in line to make his first appearance in more than three months.

Saka is “ready to go” when Arsenal host London rivals Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night and may even start, according to the Gunners boss.

After Fulham on Tuesday, Arsenal visit Everton on Saturday before welcoming Real Madrid to the Emirates next Tuesday in the first leg of their crucial Champions League quarter-final tie. The return leg at the Bernabeu is on April 16.

Saka was pictured in training with Arsenal last week during the international break, and Arteta was asked how involved the England winger has been over the past fortnight with an internal behind-closed-doors friendly also played.

“We played once, but before that he [Saka] had six consecutive sessions with the team, and he was good,” Arteta said.

“We played that game, he felt completely fine. So that's why I'm sure that we have managed to replicate almost every scenario [he could face]. At the end you need that, a 60,000 stadium, a different competitive level, a referee and play that game.”

Asked whether he will be fearful of Saka re-injuring himself once he takes his first sprint of his long-awaited return, Arteta replied: “No, because he has done everything many times already.

“He needs exposure in games but all the boxes he has to tick are there. The concerns normally are when you are rushing an injury. It is [when there has been] a three-week injury and after 10 days you want to put yourself on that pitch and you are almost praying that it won’t go.

“But he has been really good in the process and we have got a lot of reassurance that he can do very well now.”

Saka and centre-back William Saliba are in the same situation in terms of their contracts, with both players’ deals set to expire in the summer of 2027. Arsenal are very eager to tie them down to new deals.

Arteta spoke about the importance of both players penning fresh terms but called for calm on that front, with the Gunners’ new sporting director Andrea Berta just two days into the job.

“Yes very [important], but we are going to leave all those questions for Andrea and make sure that he has his place and his role and he can fulfil it. Hopefully my influence will be in other aspects,” he said.