Bukayo Saka injury: how long will he be out, and which Arsenal and England games could he miss?
Bukayo Saka had an MRI scan on Friday after hurting his thigh against Bayern Munich. Reports suggest he could be out until December, which would rule him out of Liverpool away, England's November games and possibly Manchester City at home.
Arsenal are waiting for the full verdict on Bukayo Saka's thigh injury. Here is what we know, what has been reported, and what it means for Arsenal and England.
What happened
Saka went down about 10 minutes into Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the Champions League, clutching his left thigh just after playing a pass out wide, and immediately signalled to the bench. Eberechi Eze replaced him and went on to score.
What Arteta has said
At his press conference on Friday, Mikel Arteta explained why Arsenal could not yet give a timescale. Fluid around the injury made it "difficult to understand the extent of the injury", so Saka had a follow-up MRI scan on Friday afternoon.
"When a player has to walk off the pitch, he is struggling to walk without any pain," Arteta said, adding that restricted movement is "not a good sign". He said Arsenal would know more on Saturday.
Arteta rejected the idea that Saka is suffering from burnout, though he acknowledged the winger has become a "different" player in recent seasons.
How long could Saka be out?
Arsenal have not announced a timescale. According to reports from journalist John Cross and the Mirror, Arsenal fear Saka could be out until December. If that is correct, these are the games he would miss or be at risk of missing:
| Date | Game | Status (reported) |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 24 Oct | Arsenal v Everton | Out |
| Sun 1 Nov | Liverpool v Arsenal | Expected to miss |
| November | England's Nations League games, including the group decider in Spain on 15 Nov | Expected to miss (Mirror) |
| Sun 29 Nov | Arsenal v Manchester City | In doubt |
| Early Dec | Tottenham v Arsenal | In doubt |
| Wed 9 Dec | Arsenal v Real Madrid (UCL) | Target for return |
We will update this article when Arsenal confirm the scan result.
Who replaces Saka?
With Christos Tzolis also out with a hamstring injury, Arsenal are short of wide players:
- Noni Madueke scored the winner at Nottingham Forest last weekend and is the obvious first choice.
- Eberechi Eze can play on the right and scored in Munich after coming on.
- Max Dowman, 16, scored twice in the 4-2 Carabao Cup win over Ipswich in September and scored against Everton last season.
We analysed each option in how Arsenal can cope without Saka.
Why it matters
Arsenal are three points behind unbeaten Manchester City, and the next six weeks include trips to Liverpool and Tottenham and a home game against City. Saka has been Arsenal's most important attacker for five seasons. The good news is that Piero Hincapié is back from an ankle problem and William Saliba is working towards a return later this autumn — see our Arsenal injury update and the Arsenal v Everton preview.
FAQ
What injury does Bukayo Saka have? A thigh (quad) injury, suffered against Bayern Munich on 21 October 2026. Arsenal have not yet confirmed the exact diagnosis.
How long will Saka be out? Arsenal have not given a timescale. Reports suggest he could be out until December.
Will Saka play for England in November? The Mirror reports that he is expected to miss England's November Nations League games.
