DBasia.news – Bukayo Saka, an Arsenal player with bright prospects of becoming one of the best players in the world if his playing level continues to grow. At the age of 20, Saka already has 14 caps and four goals for the England national team.
Saka is an Arsenal academy graduate who was promoted by Unai Emery in the 2019-20 season, made his debut in the team’s 3-2 win over Aston Villa and is the third youngest player to make a debut after Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott.
Emery was sacked in December and replaced by Mikel Arteta. Arteta’s trust in Saka puts him in the position of a winger. Now with Emile Smith Rowe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, and Gabriel Martinelli, Arteta is building Arsenal’s future squad.
Saka’s story with Arsenal could have been different if one decision in 2019, involving Crystal Palace, was different. Arsenal have to thank Palace.
Exchange with Wilfried Zaha
Back three years ago, Arsenal in search of a wing striker to increase attack power. Two names were targeted, namely Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) and Nicola Pepe (Lille). Arsenal chose the latter.
However, there is an interesting fact when Arsenal were close to signing Zaha from Palace in 2019, by offering one from Reiss Nelson, Carl Jenkinson and Bukayo Saka in the deal.
But that didn’t happen. Arsenal saw Palace’s £80m tag for Zaha overpriced. Arsenal only wanted to sign him for £55 million plus £10 million in bonuses.
In the end the agreement was not reached and Palace were not interested in the names offered by Arsenal. It was Bukayo Saka’s moment with Arsenal, but the story could have been different if he ended up going to Palace at that time.
The issue of Arsenal’s interest in Zaha is not a figment. The player admits it.
“I actually spoke to the manager,” Zaha told Jamie Carragher on The Greatest Games podcast.
“He was like, ‘We don’t have to do that (to sign Zaha)’. He saw me playing, he knew I could change the game at any time and stuff like that. It was like, ‘Yeah, we’d love to have him. You’. “
“And I was like, ‘I’d love to come’. The conversation was a bit straightforward because I played against him when he was at Arsenal, he saw what I could do, he looked at my work level, what I can add to the team.
“Obviously, it’s up to the club they choose, and obviously they chose Pepe over me,” explained Zaha.