Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is reportedly carrying a 'nagging' achilles injury that's carried over from last season - that's according to the Mail.
The 22-year-old featured in all 38 of the Gunners' Premier League games last season and yep, you've guessed it, 38 the season before prompting questions regarding his workload. A sign of the times perhaps but that's another debate!
Do Arsenal risk running Bukayo Saka into the ground?
Many supporters hoped the club would sign cover for the England star, affording the boss the luxury of resting his star man from time to time but in the end, Arteta opted to prioritise other areas during the summer window. The squad is well stocked with players capable of operating from wide but outside of Saka, there's no specialist right-winger within the ranks.
Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson for example have all proven themselves to be far more effective from the left side when tasked with operating from the flanks. Marquinhos is out on loan and Nicolas Pepe's contract was terminated by the club just last week.
When you're a top player, playing for a top side with ambitions of winning every competition you play in - a physically demanding schedule comes with the territory.
The very fact Saka's been an ever-present in the Premier League in consecutive seasons shows he's robust and durable enough to handle it, at the moment. But if he's carrying around an injury of that nature, to the achilles, there is certainly cause for concern.
Achilles injuries notoriously take a long time to heal, aren't easily shaken and can cause plenty of discomfort. Playing through that type of issue can lead to long-term damage and before you know it, you could require pain relief before every game. That's certainly not territory you want to be entering in your early 20s.
So what's the solution? A period of rest? Ongoing treatment? Strict management around his playing time?
That's one for the medical staff to decide on but I'd be lying if I said I'm not concerned by these recent reports and the impact playing through injuries of that nature could have on Saka's long-term fitness.
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