Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has compared Bukayo Saka to Lionel Messi after he scored and assisted in the Gunners’ 2-0 win Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend, Afrosport reports.
The 22-year-old English winger of Nigerian heritage first assisted Kai Havertz for they opener before netting the second in fine style by cutting in on the right flank with his left foot before firing the ball past Jose Sa in goal.
Such move, which was common with Messi during the height of his career with Barcelona, was not a surprise to Arteta seeing Saka do it.
“You know with Messi, I know he’s going to come here and put the ball there because he does it all the time – that’s the quality of the players,” Arteta said.
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Saka started the game along with Declan Rice who both featured with England at the Euro 2024 final. While some were surprised they were able to get right into the starting lineup, Arteta asserted it was a sign of their mentality.
“I’m not surprised. That’s their mentality. Straight after the [final], they said ‘I’m going to be ready for the first game’,” the Spaniard added.
“I spoke to them in the summer to try to arrange their best plan. They wanted to be early, they wanted to be back. They were already getting prepared.
“This is the mentality we know we need. If players are doing that, that compromise will grow around the team and they will step up the level. That’s what we need.”
Arteta however admitted that he initially thought of leaving Saka and Ride out of the starting line up.
“First of all, yeah. You have to really understand where they are, what they need, to give them some space and let them breathe,” he stated.
“They went through a lot and those kids have played a lot of football in the last two years. But when you see that willingness, that energy to say ‘I’m really, really happy to be back’ and you see that’s genuine, it’s a good sign.”
Arsenal will face Aston Villa away in their next Premier League fixture on Saturday.
