Bukayo Saka took a shock route when deciding who his finest Arsenal team-mate of all time is.
Bukayo Saka shunned Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard when naming his finest Arsenal team-mate (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal talisman Bukayo Saka surprisingly shunned Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard when requested to call his finest team-mate. In truth, the England star didn’t identify anybody within the present Gunners dressing room.
Whereas he could also be simply 24 years previous, Saka is now the chief of the previous guard on the Emirates and the longest-serving member of Mikel Arteta’s squad. Dozens have come and gone within the years since Unai Emery handed him his professional debut in November 2018, however one identify stands out as the simplest colleague. Whereas this season’s crop have put collectively arguably one of the best title problem of the Arteta period thus far, it’s a reputation from Saka’s previous that continues to be high of the pile. As an alternative of any present comrades, Saka picked out Mesut Ozil because the Arsenal star who had impressed him most.
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“Prime quality participant,” mentioned the winger whereas chatting with BBC Radio 5 Stay’s Soccer Day by day when requested to present one identify above all others. “Enjoyable to play with him, enjoyable to look at him.”
Point out of the German’s identify could rankle some followers of the membership. That is because of the manner Ozil left in January 2021.
Regardless of being a fan favorite for a lot of his time in north London after arriving from Actual Madrid in 2013, Ozil’s Emirates tenure ended on a bitter word. Arteta omitted the No. 10 from his squads initially of the 2020/21 season earlier than his contract was terminated six months early in January 2021, and he left to affix Fenerbahce.
Regardless of that disappointing finish, the impression he left on Saka was nonetheless important. And this season’s reward wasn’t the primary time the Englishman indicated his amazement on the German’s affect.
“He performs in his personal world,” Saka instructed Soccer Focus again in 2023. “A number of the issues he does, and also you take a look at him, simply wow.”
Saka had round 18 months in Arsenal’s first workforce enjoying alongside Ozil earlier than he left (Picture: Getty)
Solely a handful of gamers within the present Arsenal squad had the identical pleasure of enjoying with Ozil. Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are the fortunate few who received their possibilities alongside Arsenal’s 2015/16 Participant of the Season.
It was throughout Ozil’s time on the Emirates that the Gunners received 4 FA Cups, with three of these secured underneath Arsene Wenger. Having seen a first-team star conjure up such success, principally whereas he was nonetheless within the academy, it is smart as to why Saka would possibly put his previous comrade on such a pedestal.
Nevertheless, with an opportunity to lastly finish the membership’s 22-year Premier League title drought this time period, followers will hope he has a brand new finest team-mate come this summer time. And with Rice excessive within the working to be named PFA Participant of the Yr, his fellow England staple could also be a high candidate.
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