Bukayo Saka is one of the most important players for Arsenal and for England, so here is everything to know about the Hale End product thriving for his club and his country.
The winger broke through for the Gunners early on during the tenure of Unai Emery in north London. Saka enjoyed his first-team debut for Arsenal under the Spaniard in November 2018 in a Europa League tie. He later recorded his Premier League debut on New Year’s Day 2019.
Saka was just 17 years old when Emery moved the forward into the senior squad at Emirates Stadium. His career later exploded following the appointment of Mikel Arteta to the helm in December 2019. The ex-Gunners captain has made Saka one of Europe’s best right-wingers.
Emery and Arteta sparingly fielded Saka on the left wing or even as a left-back early on in his career. But the Arsenal academy product found a home on the right wing, cutting inside with a clinical left foot. His playing style is similar to that of Bayern Munich legend, Arjen Robben.
Few players are as influential for Arsenal as Saka is and the forward’s importance extends to with England. The attacker announced his name to the globe at his first World Cup at Qatar 2022. So, who really is Saka? Here is everything you need to know about the Arsenal winger.
Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka’s age
At the time of writing, Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is 23 years old. The forward was born on September 5, 2001 and he joined the academy fold at the Gunners when he was only eight.
Where was Bukayo Saka born?
Arsenal product Bukayo Saka was born in the west London district of Ealing in England. But he is also of Yoruba Nigerian descent, as both of his parents are originally from West Africa.
Bukayo Saka’s parents, Yomi Saka and Adenike Saka
Bukayo Saka’s parents are Yomi Saka and Adenike Saka, who moved to England in the 1990s as economic migrants. It is from his parents’ roots in Nigeria that Saka got his name, Bukayo. It means “adds to happiness” in the Yoruba language widely spoken across southern Nigeria.
Adenike and Yomi Saka settled in Ealing after moving to England in the 1990s. They decided to migrate after growing worried about the life awaiting their unborn children. Bukayo Saka is one of two children alongside brother Abayomi, who is two years the Arsenal winger’s elder.
Does Bukayo Saka have a wife?
As of the time of writing, Bukayo Saka does not have a wife but has a long-term girlfriend in Tolami Benson. According to The Sun, Benson is one year older than Saka and the pair have been together since late 2020. The couple initially sought to keep their relationship private.
Benson is of Nigerian descent and is a model with more than 36,500 followers on Instagram. She is even an apparent Arsenal fan, having shared photos wearing a Gunners jersey before news of her relationship with Saka broke. Benson also joined Saka at the World Cup in Qatar.
Bukayo Saka bought a £2.3m luxury house in November 2019
Bukayo Saka marked his breakthrough as a key player for Arsenal by buying his £2.3m house in November 2019. The winger was just 18 at the time he purchased a six-bedroom mansion in Hertfordshire. His parents and brother also moved in soon after he left the family’s home.
The family shared a two-storey semi-detached house in Greenford, Ealing while Saka was a kid. It was five miles from Wembley and Saka played football on the communal green after school. But Saka bought a mansion with sprawling grounds one year after his Arsenal debut.
Saka sought to relocate to live closer to Arsenal’s London Colney training ground located in Hertfordshire. His contemporary mansion came complete with a spa and walk-in wardrobes. But the forward has installed several modifications over the years to personalise the house.
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