Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said star Bukayo Saka still has a long way to go before returning from the quad injury he suffered in October.

"We're talking about obviously weeks, let's say after the international break," Arteta told reporters on Friday, Nov. 6. "He's going to start hitting the pitch and start to have more activity and see how he feels, but unfortunately he's going to be out for a while."

After facing Hull City on Saturday, Arsenal doesn't play for two weeks during the international break.

But once returning to action, the Gunners have six games in 18 days, including high-stakes Premier League matches against Manchester City (Nov. 29) and Tottenham, as well as Champions League clashes with Dortmund and Real Madrid (Dec. 9).

"Bukayo is desperate to get back with the team, but it’s still quite early," Arteta said at his news conference a day before Arsenal's Premier League match.

Saka went down during Arsenal's Champions League game against Bayern Munich on Oct. 21 and was substituted in the first 15 minutes with what was judged to be a quadricep injury.

The defending English champions have been without their 25-year-old star for spells during the past two years. Saka's hamstring injury in the 2024-25 season required surgery and sidelined him for more than three months. Last season, Saka dealt with hamstring, hip and Achilles problems and his fitness was a major concern for England manager Thomas Tuchel in the 2026 World Cup.