Tim Sherwood has heaped praise on Arsenal star Bukayo Saka.
Bukayo Saka has started the new Premier League season in the manner he ended the last one for Arsenal. The 21-year-old attacker already has two goals to his name, with the latest coming from the penalty spot against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
If Arsenal are to achieve their targets for this season, and push for the Premier League title again, then Saka will be central to their efforts. Mikel Arteta is incredibly reliant on the Hale End academy graduate who broke a club record against Fulham, surpassing Paul Merson to become the first player to feature in 83 consecutive Premier League matches for the Gunners.
Saka has even drawn praise from figures associated with Arsenal’s arch north London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood has lauded the 28-cap England star’s talent and attitude.
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Sherwood sings Saka’s praises
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday (26/08/2023, 14:41), Sherwood said of Saka, “he wants to work hard, he wants to prove to Mikel Arteta that he is the real deal. The durability of him to play that amount of games, everyone talks about now, ‘Oh the games come thick and fast and they need a break and rest period’, this boy doesn’t.”
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“This boy is made of different stuff. You know, if you left him out and said, ‘I want to rest you’, he’d be devastated. He wants to play every single week and why wouldn’t you?”
“He’s at one of the biggest clubs in the country, he’s got all the facilities in the world. He’s got a magnificent young manager who believes in him…I can’t speak highly enough of him, from the academy, the best player they had last season and probably going to be the player of the season this year, one of their own.”
Saka the jewel in the Arsenal academy crown
Saka’s durability and relentless desire to play is what has allowed him to break Merson’s long standing record. There is still much more to come from the Ealing-born forward, too. He signed a new contract with Arsenal in May 2023, and is determined to achieve great things with the club he has been with since the age of seven.
Saka is one of a number of academy graduates to hold a key role in Arteta’s squad. Eddie Nketiah also scored his second goal of the season against Fulham, and Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson will also both hope to play big roles for Arsenal as the season progresses.
Barring any unexpected fitness concerns, Saka will almost certainly start for Arsenal against Manchester United on Sunday. Few would bet against him to be the star of the show against the Red Devils.