BUKAYO SAKA is on the verge of an Arsenal return.
The Gunners star was pictured for the first time back in full training at London Colney today after undergoing hamstring surgery in December.
Saka teased fans in an Instagram post showing him smiling with his thumbs up alongside the caption: “Hello again.”
And SunSport understands he is in contention to be included in the squad to face Fulham on Tuesday night ahead of vital clashes against Everton and Real Madrid.
Saka, 23, tore his hamstring in a 5-1 Prem win over Crystal Palace on December 21 before having surgery to fix the issue days later.
He has missed 19 games in all competitions since then, a run that saw Arsenal knocked out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, as well as lose ground in the Prem title race.
The target was always for Saka to make it back for the Champions League quarter final first leg at home to Real Madrid on April 8 – and he looks on course to achieve that.
Arteta is keen for Saka to get some minutes under his belt before then, with opportunities to do so at the Emirates against the Cottagers next week before a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton on April 5.
Despite his impressive recovery and rehab so far, Arsenal remain wary over pushing Saka too hard too soon. He will likely be given cameo appearances off the bench to prove his fitness and get back up to speed.
Saka has stepped up his training load during the international break while his teammates have been away with their countries.
Before the break, asked how Saka would be progressing, Arteta explained: “Hopefully with more ball at his feet than he has had.
“That will mean he is passing the ball and shooting and running and everything. He has done quite a lot already on the pitch working on his own.
“Next we need to arrange it with people around him in a more competitive training session and see how he goes with that.”
Despite his absence, Saka has been a constant presence in and around the team during his rehab, seen on crutches at the turn of the year supporting from the stands at the Emirates.
On the club’s warm-weather retreat to Dubai last month, Saka flew out with the squad to carry on his individualised solo training plan with light gym work.
He was also spotted in the Wembley tunnel speaking to Three Lions coach Thomas Tuchel after England’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Latvia on Monday.
Saka’s return has been aided by some much-needed rest, spending time abroad on holiday with his family in late January.
Arsenal are in need of some attacking inspiration after Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were ruled out for the season with hamstring and knee issues respectively, forcing midfielder Mikel Merino to deputise as a centre forward.
And manager Mikel Arteta received yet another blow during the international break as Riccardo Calafiori had to withdraw from Italy’s squad after hurting his knee.
Saka’s influence cannot be understated. Even after a three-month lay-off, he remains the leading provider of goals and assists in all competitions for Arsenal this term [nine goals and 13 assists].
Three points adrift of Prem leaders Liverpool at the time of his injury, Arteta’s men now find themselves 13 points behind with nine games to play.
Arteta was desperate to bring in reinforcements during the January window, linked with Red Bull Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, but could not get a deal over the line.
Arsenal could be set for another major boost as Real face being without four stars for the first leg.
Superstar strikers Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior as well as former Chelsea ace Antonio Rudiger and ex-Gunner Dani Caballos face an official Uefa probe for allegedly making obscene gestures after their victory over Atletico Madrid in the Last-16.
Vinicius was the most high-profile case as he reportedly took six “shots” at Atletico supporters during and after the clash at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
Rudiger, on the other hand, was accused of making a throat-slitting gesture to Atleti supporters.
Ceballos, who spent two years at Arsenal before his return to Madrid in 2021, is accused of making an obscene one-armed gesture with a clenched fist.
And Mbappe was reported for touching his genitals in a clearly derogatory manner.
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