Arsenal star Bukayo Saka pictured back in training for first time since injury

Arsenal fans are breathing a collective sigh of relief after Bukayo Saka confirmed he had returned to training on Thursday.

Saka, 23, went down with a hamstring problem during Arsenal’s 5-1 win at Crystal Palace in December and Mikel Arteta’s worst fears were confirmed as it became clear the forward required surgery, ruling him out for three months.

The injury means Saka was unable to play a part in the Gunners’ last 19 matches in all competitions, which came as a hammer blow to the club’s already dwindling Premier League title hopes. The north Londoners were also knocked out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in that time.

Arteta has been desperately short of options in attack, with Mikel Merino deputising as a false nine in the absence of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz – who are both sidelined for remainder of the season.

However, Saka has gradually stepped up his recovery in recent weeks and the England international will no doubt be desperate to play a key role in Arsenal’s two-legged Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid.

There are hopes Saka could even be involved in Arsenal’s upcoming league games against Fulham and Everton, though Arteta will want to wrap up his star man in cotton wool – with Europe’s premier competition now the club’s most realistic shot of silverware.

‘Hello again,’ Saka told his followers on Instagram, along with a photograph showing him beaming out on the grass at London Colney.

Just moments after Saka posted his update, Arsenal shared a short message of their own, reassuring supporters that the attacker had been ‘working hard’ back out on the training field again.

Saka joined the rest of Arteta’s first-team squad for their warm-weather training camp last month, but the winger only partook in light gym work in Dubai.

Before the international break, Arteta revealed that Saka was ramping up his rehabilitation and ‘getting closer’ to his return.

‘He is going to be here [at the Arsenal training ground], hopefully more with ball at his feet than he has had,’ the Spaniard told reporters.

‘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.

‘He’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making a very good progress I would say. So, let’s see when we start to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.’

News of Saka’s return to training comes just days after it was widely reported that Arsenal planned to begin formal contract discussions with the forward.

Saka’s current deal at the Emirates runs through to the summer of 2027.

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