"Many, many weeks": Mikel Arteta confirms Bukayo Saka's surgery, reveals Arsenal winger’s recovery timeline

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka undergoes surgery for hamstring injury, will be out for over 2 months; Mikel Arteta says team will collectively replace him to maintain Premier League momentum.

Arsenal's star winger Bukayo Saka has undergone surgery for the hamstring injury he sustained during the team's 5-1 win over Crystal Palace last week. The initial prognosis suggested that Saka would not require surgery, but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that a procedure was necessary after all.

Arteta provided an update on Saka's condition after Arsenal's victory over Ipswich Town on Friday evening. "He had a procedure, everything went well," Arteta said. However, he also revealed that Saka will be out of action for an extended period. "Unfortunately, he will be out for many, many weeks. It will be more than two months."

The exact duration of Saka's absence is uncertain, as it depends on the healing process of the scar tissue and the mobility of the affected area. Arteta acknowledged that Saka's replacement would not be a single individual, but rather the team as a whole. "The replacement of Bukayo is going to be the team," he said.

Arsenal is currently second in the Premier League, six points behind league leaders Liverpool. The team will need to rely on its collective strength to overcome the absence of its talismanic forward. As Arteta noted, "We have to rely on the team and not the individual."