Arsenal duo Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka both hobbled off in the 5-0 thrashing of Leeds and manager Mikel Arteta has now offered an update on both players
Mikel Arteta fears Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka are set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up injuries in the 5-0 win over Leeds. He said after the duo limped off with shoulder and hamstring problems: “Martin felt something in his shoulder when he landed, we don’t know but we have to scan it tomorrow so we can understand it a bit better.
“With Bukayo, while he was running with the ball, carrying the ball and wrestling with the defender, he felt something in his hamstring. Let’s see, it’s not the same one as the previous injury but we’re two weeks in and we’ve already lost Kai [Havertz], Martin and Bukayo so it tells you how well equipped you have to be in this league to maintain the level you want.
“Bukayo felt something while he was sprinting which is never a good sign but we have to wait until tomorrow He’s had his injuries before so he knows the feeling of that, so let’s wait.” He also added in a separate TV interview: “For Bukayo to come off, for sure it looks like something that is significant.”
Arteta insisted he was not prepared to go another season with depleted numbers, adding: “That’s what we need, the other way is not realistic at the levels we want for 10 mens, none of the other teams do it so why are we going to be different.”
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Incredibly, Arteta also confirmed new signing Eberechi Eze called him – not the other way around – to engineer his £67.5million switch to Arsenal. When asked if it was true, Arteta told beIN SPORTS: “That shows you how much he wanted to come.
“It’s very different sometimes because you want to be very open and transparent with the players as they have to make decisions in their careers but I’m delighted to have him. I’m delighted to have him, I can tell how much it means for him and his whole family. I’m sure we are going to have some great moments together.”
He later added on Eze during his press conference: “One of the fastest and one of the most unexpected. It showed an incredible determination to recognise that we had to act. That shows that we want to take this club to a whole different level, delighted to have him, the talent is unquestionable, the personality, I’ve been gladly witnessing everything!”
Eze was presented on the pitch ahead of the match and Arteta admitted he was not involved in the decision because he wasn’t able to get confirmation eveyrthign was in place.
He said: “I was getting no news today on the phone. So I thought it wasn’t happening. But at the last minute, again, they managed to pull it [off]. So, well done to everybody who was involved in that deal. Because I think it started to create some flames, some fire in the stadium. That was great to witness.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
