Saka and Ødegaard injuries worry Arteta despite Eze arrival, making them injury doubts for Liverpool at Anfield.
Arteta welcomes Eze but worried by ‘significant’ Saka injury and Ødegaard blow.
According to Mikel Arteta, Eberechi Eze called him on Wednesday when he was debating whether to sign with Tottenham to see if he still had a path to Arsenal.
“Yes, that shows you how much he wanted to come,” Arteta said, as he reflected on the final twist to a saga in which Arsenal acted on their longstanding interest in Eze to gazump Spurs. “It’s very difficult sometimes because you want to be very transparent and open with the players. They have to make decisions that are very important.”
Eze was acquired by Arsenal for £60 million plus £7.5 million in add-ons after Spurs and Crystal Palace had agreed on a price. Since Eze had grown up supporting them and played for their academy from the ages of eight to thirteen, they had maintained the advantage over Spurs throughout the summer. However, Arteta claimed that it was ultimately “one of the fastest” and dramatic transfers.
Before Saturday’s 5-0 victory over Leeds, which included an excellent debut for 15-year-old midfielder Max Dowman, who entered as a 64th-minute substitute but was hampered by injuries to Martin Ødegaard (shoulder) and Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Eze was introduced to the Emirates Stadium fans.
“I think he [Eze] has the capacity to create these magic moments,” Arteta said. “He’s got that flair, that charisma that is very contagious. We know he can play as an attacking midfielder, right or left. He doesn’t care. He plays shifted off the left, as well. I’m sure we will find the right place for him.”
Saka’s injury appeared to be more serious than that of the captain and the timing is bad, with Arsenal going to Liverpool next Sunday. “For Bukayo to come off, for sure it looks like something that is significant,” Arteta said. “He felt something in his hamstring while he was sprinting. That’s never a good sign.
“It’s not the same [hamstring] as the previous injury [Saka missed three months of last season with a hamstring injury]. But he’s had these injuries before. He knows exactly the feeling of that. So let’s wait. Martin felt something in his shoulder when he landed. We’ll have to scan him tomorrow and understand a bit better.”