Saka leaves England squad after positive COVID test
Bukayo Saka has left the England camp for this international break and returned to the club following a positive test to COVID-19, the Arsenal winger has confirmed. Gareth Southgate hasn’t called up anyone to replace him as his team prepare to take on Switzerland on Saturday.
” I am gutted to withdraw from @england camp but I have tested positive for Covid-19 and I will be isolating until I am negative. I’ll be supporting the boys from home this weekend and I can’t wait to be being back doing what I love soon,” Saka tweeted.
Saka made his international debut in October 2018, and he has so far racked up 14 caps and four goals for England. He was one of the three players, along with Manchester United duo of Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, who missed penalties in the shootout which decided the outcome of the Euro final last year and eventually saw Italy raise the trophy at Wembley. All three players suffered disgusting racist abuse in the aftermath of the event.
Nonetheless, Saka’s progress as a player continues to hold the football world in awe. This season, he’s so far had 15 goal involvements (10 goals, five assists) in 33 appearances in all competitions, and recognition has most recently come in the form of nomination for Premier League Player of the Month award for March, along with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta being up for the Manager of the Month.
Saka signed a four-year contract with Arsenal in July 2020, which means he is set to enter the second half of its duration this summer. The club obviously don’t want the expiration date to come close enough for other clubs to start circling his camp, and according to reasonably reliable reports, talks are underway over a new deal.
Saka is the latest in a line of names to have withdrawn from the England squad for this break, second from the ranks of the Gunners, following the exclusion goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
