Bukayo Saka has admitted fearing for his career at the highest level after being struck down by a hamstring injury in December.
The Arsenal star missed nearly four months of the season—the longest absence of his career and one that greatly affected the Gunners on the pitch.
Speaking about the injury to The Times, Saka said the immediate aftermath was the toughest to tackle. “The first two days were the toughest, that realisation that I’ve got what I’ve got and I need an operation. You start to think, ‘Am I going to be the same?’”
That thought likely weighed heavily on the 23-year-old given his importance and love for the club he plays for. Since breaking through the first team and the appointment of Mikel Arteta, Saka has established himself as one of the best players in world football. Though, he’s played an extraordinary amount of minutes with fans and pundits alike calling for him to receive more rest given the excruciating football calendar.
Even now, England boss Thomas Tuchel played it safe with Saka in the country’s weekend friendly against Andorra amid fitness concerns.
The forward revealed the decision process behind having surgery was gruelling given the decision had to be made before Christmas Eve—a choice he made on the spot with the operation happening at 5:00 in the morning.
Saka wasn't the only player to suffer a hamstring injury. Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Martinelli all missed time as well amid other injuries in the team. Havertz’s injury kept him out for nearly the same amount of time.
Like Saka though, Havertz returned before the end of the season.
Keeping Saka fit is of the utmost priority to Arteta next season alongside bringing in cover for him just in case.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Am I Going to Be the Same?’—Bukayo Saka Opens Up on Hamstring Injury Fears.
