Saka Trains Alone With Achilles Issue Ahead of Ghana
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Bukayo Saka was the only absentee from England's group training on Saturday, working indoors on an individual programme ahead of Tuesday's World Cup Group L match against Ghana in Boston (21:00 BST).
- Saka came off the bench in England's 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday and provided an assist to fellow substitute Marcus Rashford for the fourth goal, having managed Achilles tendinitis since March.
- Thomas Tuchel said the 24-year-old is unlikely to start until the final Group L fixture against Panama on Saturday, 27 June (22:00 BST) in New Jersey, stating: "Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready."
- Arsenal were aware of the issue behind the scenes during their triumphant title run-in but deemed the forward fit enough to start regularly, with boss Mikel Arteta keeping information about Saka's condition in-house.
- Tuchel's public admission marks a sharp contrast with Arteta's typically guarded approach, thrusting Saka's fitness into the limelight as England weigh whether to deploy him against Ghana if required.
Why it matters: Saka's fitness directly shapes England's attacking options in a tournament they opened with a 4-2 win, and Tuchel's transparency about a condition Arsenal kept private during their title run-in signals that England are managing the winger for the latter stages — meaning Saka likely won't start until Panama on 27 June unless circumstances force Tuchel's hand.
