Bukayo Saka made his Premier League debut for Arsenal back in January and appears to have a bright future under Unai Emery.
Arsenal’s U23 coach Freddie Ljungberg has tipped Bukayo Saka for a big future at the Emirates after an outstanding season at youth level, while speaking to Football London.
A London-born winger who has represented England at U19 level, Saka is one of the most exciting young talents in the Gunners’ academy right now.
He has produced four goals and six assists in 19 Premier League 2 games this season and was even handed his top flight debut by Unai Emery in January, coming on for the final seven minutes of a 4-1 thrashing of Fulham.
Saka also made his first start for Arsenal’s senior side against Qarabag in the Europa League. And Ljungberg, who has coached the teenager at U23 level this season, believes he has everything it takes to reach the very top.
“We have quite a few top talents now. How I see it is that Bukayo Saka, Xavier Amaechi and Tyreece John-Jules don’t have to be so far back in the pitch. What they have learned is that they need to stay where there will be dangerous,” said Ljungberg.
“Other boys will play it out from the back and find pockets. We can feed Bukayo. And then he’ll be in a situation further up the field where he can be a game changer. But if we don’t feed the ball to him in the right place there won’t be that action.
“And that’s what we’ve been working on. It’s not just those three it’s everyone. But Bukayo [Saka] can be a top talent.”
Saka, who plays for England at youth level despite his Nigerian roots, was compared to Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo by Michael Owen during BT Sport’s coverage of the Europa League victory over Qarabag in late 2018 (5 April, 10:00pm).
The next step, however, is for Saka to become a first-team regular under Emery at the Emirates.
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