Thierry Henry put former Arsenal academy star ahead of Bukayo Saka, now Unai Emery is damaging him

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Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are ready to rival Bukayo Saka’s status as Hale End’s biggest modern-day success.

The teenage duo have been unearthed by Mikel Arteta this season, going from strength to strength for both club and country. 

Arteta is responsible for the nurturing of the pair however, both players have strong reference points, being able to follow in Saka’s footsteps from Hale End to the first team. 

Unai Emery handed Saka his senior debut for Arsenal back in 2018, and the winger hasn’t looked back since, although he wasn’t always the favourite to make it.

• READ MORE: Arsenal’s shocking starting XI from Bukayo Saka’s debut

Thierry Henry said Donyell Malen got more attention than Bukayo Saka at Hale End

Three years before making his Arsenal debut, Saka’s rise was witnessed by Thierry Henry, who coached at Hale End when the forward was developing. 

So often, it’s clear to see who stands out above the rest at academy level however, Henry admitted that it wasn’t Saka during his time at the club.

In 2024, Henry shared an insight into the three players that were talked about more than Saka at Hale End, diverting attention away from the now-superstar.

“At the time I was in the academy, people were talking a lot about Chris Willock, the brother of Joe, Reiss Nelson and Donyell Malen,” the Arsenal legend told BBC.

“Bukayo was good, but he wasn’t the talk of the ones that were in the academy, you know, and that’s why I have mad respect for Bukayo.”

Arsenal’s record goalscorer revealed that Chris Willock, Reiss Nelson and Donyell Malen were the talk of the town at the time of Saka’s rise, with only one still at the club. 

Nelson is currently nursing an injury on loan at Fulham and will return to the Emirates in the summer, whereas Willock is at Cardiff City in the Championship, and Malen only recently made his return to English football. 

Malen is being punished by Unai Emery

Malen left Arsenal in 2017 to sign for PSV, eventually moving on to Borussia Dortmund and then to Aston Villa.

Emery signed Malen in January; however, now, the 26-year-old is experiencing a struggle in the Midlands. 

Since joining Villa, Emery has handed Malen only one Premier League start, where he averages just 28 minutes per game, as per Sofascore. 

The winter signing will feel frustrated for other reasons too, as Emery opted against registering Malen in Villa’s Champions League squad for the remainder of the season.

The former Hale End jewel was a regular in the tournament at Dortmund and is now settling for the sidelines at Villa Park.

While Malen has gone on his own journey since leaving Arsenal, it’s staggering to realise that once, the Villa outsider was generating more attention than Saka in N5.