Wayne Rooney has described Bukayo Saka's return to fitness as 'absolutely huge' for Arsenal as they prepare for a Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid. The England winger made a cameo appearance off the bench in Saturday's 1-0 win over Newcastle after almost a month on the sidelines.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United striker said: 'Bukayo Saka has been great for Arsenal over the last few years. Maybe this season he hasn’t hit the heights but he’s such an important player. So to get him back at this time of the season is going to be massive.'
Arsenal are still in contention for a trophy double, with the Premier League title race ongoing and a Champions League final in Budapest within reach. Mikel Arteta will need as many players available as possible, though both Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze came off injured against Newcastle.
Meanwhile, Ethan Nwaneri's loan spell at Marseille has taken a turn for the worse. The 19-year-old was an unused substitute as Marseille drew 1-1 with Nice on Sunday, and manager Habib Beye criticised his commitment. 'He’s a quality player, but he has to give us way more in his day-to-day commitment,' Beye said.
Marseille sit sixth in Ligue 1 and are unlikely to qualify for next season's Champions League. With only three games left, Nwaneri's situation appears unlikely to improve.
