Bukayo Saka outlines ‘unplayable’ lesson he’s learned from Arsenal icon Thierry Henry

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Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka is on the path to become a club icon at the Emirates if his form continues. 

The winger emerged from Hale End when Unai Emery was in charge of the first team, paving the way for the Englishman to become a regular.

Now, the 23-year-old has captained his boyhood club on several occasions and is crucial to Mikel Arteta’s project.

With 122 goal contributions to his name already, Saka is well on his way to becoming an hero in Arsenal’s history, with his journey helped by the figures he’s learning from. 

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What Bukayo Saka has learned from Thierry Henry

It’s easy to forget that Saka is only 23, with the winger showing an innate ability to lead by example in all areas of his game.

The forward is a player Arsenal can rely as well as be constantly entertained by, which is a description previously used about Thierry Henry.

Saka has imitated Henry’s celebrations and has earned the love that the Frenchman received in North London, but what has Arteta’s star actually learned from being around the striker?

In an interview with CBS Sports, Saka detailed his relationship with the Arsenal legend, where he pinpointed the ‘main thing’ he’s picked up from the Gunners’ record scorer.  

“The main thing I learned from him is the confidence,” Saka said.

“When you see the way he plays, the fear he strikes into defenders is already enough, I tried to take that from him.

“I’ve tried to play with more confidence, that belief that you’re almost unplayable.”

Saka has certainly taken Henry’s swagger on board, with the winger’s performances this season being nothing short of electrifying, posing as a player difficult for the opposition to contain. 

Saka is crucial to Arsenal

Arsenal saw just how important Saka is to Arteta’s squad when the team were without him.

During the September international break, the 23-year-old was injured when on duty with England, seeing him spend two games on the sidelines. 

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In his absence, Arsenal’s attacking spark extinguished, with it made abundantly clear that no forward can influence a game like the Hale End graduate can.

Arteta has learned to build his squad around Saka, with the Gunners’ number seven showing no sign of having a ceiling as he elevates season upon season, just as Henry did.