Mikel Arteta makes decision on January signing as Arsenal dealt Bukayo Saka body blow

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is ready to sign a replacement for Bukayo Saka in the summer transfer window, it has been claimed. Saka faces, in Arteta’s own words, “many weeks” out with a torn hamstring.

Saka was forced off in Saturday night’s 5-1 thrashing of Crystal Palace and left Selhurst Park on crutches. And the England international appears unlikely to play again until February per Arteta’s update.

The Spaniard said: “It’s a huge one [blow]. It is not looking good. He will be out for many weeks. I can’t be too specific because I don’t know.

“He was gutted, you can tell that he’s not been injured because he was really emotional. He was really down and we need to lift him.”

While the Gunners have Raheem Sterling as an experienced back-up, the on-loan forward has sustained a knee injury in training. Tests will confirm the severity of his injury in the coming days.

And Arteta is prepared to recruit a stand-in in the January window. The 42-year-old continued: “If something unbelievable is available and if the club is willing to do it, we’ll have to consider it.

“The preparation is done and we are ready if something happens. We didn’t predict a situation with Bukayo and Raheem at the same time. We predicted more it would be something else: for example, the defensive line.

“We started the season with one of the thinnest squads in the Premier League – we knew that.”

Saka still has a role to play for Arsenal while he’s unavailable, insists Arteta. The north Londoners are bidding to catch leaders Liverpool who have a six-point lead and a game in hand in the Premier League title race.

The Arsenal boss added: “It is a significant injury/ That’s why we have to be very careful that when he comes back he’s in the right way and with the right form.

“Then manage him because he’s going to be out for a long period. He will be fine, he’s going to need a few days. He’s not a player that is used to not playing or being injured for long periods of time.

“He will realise that he is so important in that dressing room. His energy level, body language and how he communicates with the team has to be really good because it is the only way at the moment he can help.”