Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka took to social media to deliver an encouraging update from his hospital bed following surgery on his injured hamstring.

The 23-year-old winger pulled up during Arsenal’s 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace before Christmas, limping on to the team coach with the help of crutches. The club’s medical staff originally feared that Saka’s hamstring had completely detached from the bone, an injury which would have ruled him out for the rest of the season.

However, scans showed that the muscle had been torn. Mikel Arteta has subsequently confirmed that Saka will be out for “more than two months” and underwent surgery earlier this week.

After a successful operation, Saka commented in public for the first time since his injury, posting an uplifting message on Instagram which read: “The majority see obstacles, but few see the opportunities. Recovery has begun and I’m coming back stronger! Thank you all for your messages”

This is the first serious injury of Saka’s senior career. The incredibly durable forward missed around a month of action between October and November with a similar muscular issue but had never previously sat out more than 18 days due to fitness concerns.

Since breaking into Arsenal’s first team during the 2019/20 campaign, Saka has racked up 250 appearances for his boyhood club. The Hale End academy graduate became the third-youngest player in Arsenal history to reach that milestone, trailing only Cesc Fabregas and David O’Leary.

The Gunners have been linked with several players as an emergency replacement for their talismanic winger, most notably Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha, but whether any move can be agreed in the always testing January window remains to be seen.