‘That’s concerning’: Arsenal sent worrying Bukayo Saka message overnight

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Darren Ambrose says it’s ‘concerning’ the amount of games Bukayo Saka is playing for Arsenal and England.

The former Premier League midfielder dubbed Bukayo Saka as an ‘unbelievable’ player for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who will return to the Champions League this season, as he told talkSPORT on Wednesday.

Not only is the Hale-End star a key player at club level, but he is now a regular starter under Gareth Southgate for England.

There were periods last season when Arteta was playing Saka in dead-rubber Europa League games, but it was in preparation for the Champions League.

Whilst this is the first time the 22-year-old is playing against Europe’s elite, he has now been used to playing two times a week.

Only time will tell whether that has held him in good stead, but it’s not just Saka who has to battle helping Arsenal challenge for the Premier League title and in the Champions League this season.

Bukayo Saka’s game time

“It could affect them (the Champions League),” said Ambrose. “They have got Saka. He is an unbelievable player. We know that. He struggled in the game against Ukraine.

“He has played so much football. That’s concerning. If you are in the Champions League, and I said this about Newcastle as well.

“If you are in the Europa League or the Europa Conference League, then you can afford to play your second-string teams. You can rest a few players. In the Champions League, you can’t.

“There aren’t many opportunities where you can rest players, whereas, Spurs aren’t in the League Cup, anymore. So, they have just got the league until the FA Cup comes about.”

Bukayo Saka heading to world-class status

Ahead of Arsenal’s return to the Champions League, this is the highest level Saka is going to be playing at and it’s his chance to elevate his game even further.

If he starts producing the goods on Europe’s biggest stage, then talk of the player possibly being world-class can get started.

And given the consistent performances Saka has put in on the Premier League stage, there is no reason why he can’t become a key player in Europe for Arteta as well.