Arsenal star winger, Bukayo Saka has withdrawn from England’s squad that is set to take on Finland in the UEFA Nations League fixture on Sunday.
According to a report by Sky Sports, Saka who had picked up a leg injury in England’s loss to Greece has gone back to his club for further assessment and could be a doubt for Arsenal’s upcoming game against Bournemouth on Saturday.
The 24-man squad that was announced for the ongoing international break has been reduced to 22 with Curtis Jones also reportedly withdrawing from the squad due to personal reasons.
Considering Saka’s exit from the squad, it could see Chelsea’s Cole Palmer possibly going on to start the game at his preferred right-wing position against Finland. Palmer has been one of the standout players in the Premier League since he made his move from Manchester City to Chelsea in the 2023-24 season.
In the 54 appearances for the London-based club, he has scored 31 goals and assisted 20 goals so far, making him one of the most prolific wingers in the league. In comparison, Saka scored 23 goals and 21 assists since last season for Arsenal.
For Arsenal, it does not look good as the international breaks have resulted in the likes of Saka and Martin Odegaard being out of action due to injury. Both men are key players in Mikel Arteta’s side that are in the running for the league title.
England were without Harry Kane in their previous fixture and it remains to be seen if the star striker will return to start for the Three Lions. With Cole Palmer, England has a genuine goal threat and his presence could help them get back to winning form after their shocking loss to Greece on Friday.
The interim manager, Lee Carlsley admitted that the game was a tactical experiment which backfired and the loss could see England go back to their usual game plan for the upcoming Nations League fixture.
The team are currently training at Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground in London and will travel to Helsinki for the game against Finland.
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