If one considers the statement for a second, it is not outlandish to say that Bukayo Saka is in and amongst the top 5 wingers in the world.
Saka is one of the top 5 wingers in the world
In the ongoing Premier League season, the England international has a strong shout for being classed as the standout winger in the league.
Funnily enough, the Hale End graduate’s biggest competition is teammate Gabriel Martinelli.
While the 21-year-old did not kick off the campaign at full pelt, he has managed to returned back to his influential best since.
With 4 goals and 6 assists for Mikel Arteta’s side, the youngster has been one of the protagonists of the best team in the land.
Backing up his sublime dribbling and ability to move the needle alongside producing end product, it’s next to impossible to fault the wonderkid in any regard.
The Englishman leaves most of his competitors in the dust
Across Europe, names such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Leroy Sane and Ousmane Dembele stand out this term.
And while many would put Neymar in this conversation, a reminder that the PSG superstar has been operating as a No.10 would put an end to such claims.
With Dembele continuing to be a mixed bag on several occasions, Saka deserves to be rated above him from the standpoint of consistency.
As for Sane, gone are the days when he used to beat players for fun and be one of the most devastating 1v1 threats in Europe.
Considering the German’s movement in behind defences and goal threat are perhaps his biggest strengths now, an argument can be put forth that the Gunners talisman boasts a more well-rounded game in 2022.
While some may even throw Serge Gnabry’s name into this discussion, the ex-Arsenal talent has only recaptured some of his best form this season, after an underwhelming 2021/2022 campaign.
Bukayo Saka, on the contrary had 11 league goals and 7 assists for a Gunners side that finished 5th and were devoid of any creativity for large parts of last season.
In addition, Saka was playing alongside an out-of-sorts Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang for half a season and Alexandre Lacazette, who has never been a prolific goalscorer in North London.
Mohamed Salah deserves to be in this conversation, based on his exploits over the past 18 months.
But on current form, the Liverpool hero has failed to live up to expectations, after penning a new contract in the summer (The Athletic).
At this point, there simply are not many doubts over the brilliance of Bukayo Saka, as his performances, consistency, impact and stats prove why it’s time to regard him as one of the top 5 wingers in the world.
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