Arsenal’s attacking options have been stretched again after Bukayo Saka was forced off with a quad injury in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich.

Mikel Arteta admitted his concern for the severity of the injury afterwards, and Saka will have scans now that the squad is back in London. With Christos Tzolis also out, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke are expected to start on the flanks for the time being, with 16-year-old Max Dowman the only other natural wide option in the squad.

That has left plenty of Arsenal fans wondering whether the club could bring back one of their other bright young talents.

Can Arsenal recall Ethan Nwaneri from Borussia Dortmund?

Ethan Nwaneri joined Dortmund on a season-long loan on deadline day, and this time Arsenal made sure they had a way to bring him back. According to James Benge of CBS Sports, the deal includes a clause allowing Arsenal to cut the loan short in January.

That’s a lesson learned from last season. When Nwaneri joined Marseille on loan in January, there was no recall clause, so Arsenal couldn’t bring him back when Mikel Merino suffered a long-term injury and their wingers had fitness problems.

The catch, though, is that the clause can only be triggered in January, so whatever Saka’s scans show, Nwaneri can’t return until the winter window opens.

Whether it makes sense to trigger the recall option will depend on the severity of the injury. According to PhysioScout, a Grade 1 tear would usually mean one to three weeks out, which would make a recall unnecessary. A Grade 2 or 3 tear could keep Saka out for several weeks or even months, and that would put the option firmly on the table.

How is Ethan Nwaneri getting on at Dortmund?

Nwaneri has made eight appearances for Dortmund so far: five in the Bundesliga, four of them starts, and three off the bench in the Champions League. He has mostly played as a right-sided No.10 in Niko Kovac’s 3-4-3, a role that, on paper, should suit him.

He hasn’t scored yet, although he forced an own goal on his debut against Hoffenheim and had a superb bicycle kick ruled out against Werder Bremen for a harsh foul in the build-up. Dortmund fans have been divided over his performances so far.

That leaves Arsenal with a tricky decision. Nwaneri is getting the regular minutes he needed, and cutting the loan short could interrupt his development. But if Saka is facing a long spell out, they may need him back at the Emirates sooner than they planned.