Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka is now an established star at the Emirates Stadium.
Despite still being just 23-years-old, Bukayo Saka is already a talismanic figure in North London.
Having been on the books with Arsenal since the age of seven, it is unsurprising that he has such a deep connection with the club and such a strong affinity with the fans. However, the Hale End academy graduate’s maturity still remains remarkable.
Saka is part of the Arsenal leadership group, as Mikel Arteta has recognised that the player has a special personalty, on top of being an elite attacking talent.
Bukayo Saka recalls influence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Saka has been given support to get to this point, though. Whilst he now leads by example himself at Arsenal, he had others to follow as he was developing and breaking into the first team picture.
Speaking to Amazon Prime Video (04/12/2024, 19:45), and reflecting on his transition into the Arsenal senior squad, Saka named Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and David Luiz as three older players who gave him plenty of support at that time.
On the subject of this trio of mentors, Saka said that they: “looked after me, gave me advice.”
Aubameyang was once the Arsenal captain. The striker was also prolific in his time at the club. However, Arteta ousted Aubameyang after a fall out.
Meanwhile, whilst Lacazette’s work ethic could never be faulted, his inconsistent finishing was a problem. Luiz could also be error-prone at the back, though the former Chelsea man’s experience was certainly useful.
All in all, these are three flawed former Arsenal stars who would have no place in Arteta’s current setup, but played a valuable role for the club in their time, not least in giving Saka the guidance he needed.
Arsenal mentors under Mikel Arteta
Saka is not the only player to have been mentored at Arsenal in recent years, and may soon adopt a teaching role himself. Certainly, with the next generation of Hale End talents arriving in the first team dressing room, he will have plenty of advice to offer based on his own experience.
Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard has mentored Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal. The club captain has taken the 17-year-old under his wing, and given the impressive progress that the youngster has made this season, it must be concluded that the Norwegian’s influence has made a positive impact.
On top of that, Jorginho was a guide for Declan Rice as he settled at Arsenal. There is a great deal that the former West Ham can learn from the Italian veteran, despite already being an established star himself.
Arteta is clearly big fan of these partnerships, and it is a testament to the maturity of his squad that they have proven so successful.
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