Declan Rice and William Saliba react to Arsenal's Bukayo Saka announcement

04/01/2025 11:05 AM

Declan Rice and William Saliba have reacted to an update on Bukayo Saka ahead of Arsenal’s match against Fulham.

The 23-year-old has been out since 21 December after sustaining a hamstring injury in the Gunners’ 5-1 win against Crystal Palace.

Saka was forced to undergo surgery as a consequence and Arsenal’s season has suffered, with Mikel Arteta’s side struggling to keep pace with a rampant Liverpool team.

Whilst Ethan Nwaneri has impressed in place of the injured star, the Gunners have lacked his creativity and firepower in key matches against rivals, including a recent 1-1 draw with Man United where Arsenal were stifled by the Red Devils’ rigid backline.

There were concerns Saka may miss the rest of the season, but a new update provided by the club on the winger’s injury status confirmed that was not the case.

Arsenal announce Bukayo Saka back in training ahead of Fulham

Ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Fulham on Tuesday evening (1 April), the Gunners posted a number of images of Saka back in training on Instagram, captioned: “Back to business.”

The post was liked by Declan Rice and William Saliba, who are likely eager to be reunited with their teammate on the pitch again soon.

It would be a surprise to see the 23-year-old start against the Whites, with Arteta likely to slowly ease his star man back into action.

Instead, the Spaniard will likely use the next two Premier League games against Fulham and Everton as an opportunity to give Saka some minutes off the bench, with a view to starting the England international against Real Madrid in their Champions League clash on 8 April.

Mikel Arteta faced with Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka conundrum

Football Insider Verdict

Saka’s injury forced Arteta’s hand after Christmas. With no other options, the Spanish manager has had to give Nwaneri a starting role in Arsenal’s team, in spite of having turned just 18-years-old in March.

The youngster has exploded onto the scene, with performances against Leicester, Brighton and PSV Eindhoven standing out.

In Arteta’s 4-3-3 system, right-wing seems to be the most suitable position for Nwaneri to play.

The 18-year-old’s game is not built around having blistering pace, instead thriving when given the opportunity to be a wide playmaker.

However, with Saka returning, Arteta will now have to decide on a new role for the youngster, given the fact that leaving out either player is simply not an option.

Left-wing is a possibility, as Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have been less impressive this season, but what they offer over Nwaneri is a directness that the English talent lacks.

An alternative could be for Arteta to play the England U21 international in his more natural position behind the striker, dropping Martin Odegaard slightly deeper alongside Declan Rice.

Whatever solution the Spanish manager finds, Arsenal fans will undoubtedly be excited to see their two academy graduates share the pitch together. All eyes now turn to their match against London rivals Fulham.

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