Bukayo Saka has been labelled as Arsenal’s starboy and one of the reasons why the Gunners are in a position to challenge for the Premier League title.

He is hailed as one of the best wingers in the world and it is no surprise as to why when you watch the 23-year-old on the field at the Emirates. Saka is also one of a few number of Arsenal players who have spent their entire senior career with the Gunners.

Born in North West London, he grew up just 10 miles away from the Emirates Stadium and has become an iconic part of Mikel Arteta’s set-up in North London.

Arsenal produced the first 2001-born Premier League star

The 23-year-old began his footballing career in the youth system at Watford before joining Arsenal’s academy aged just seven. Saka then played for both the U18s for whom he made 28 appearances scoring 16 goals and seven assists, and the U21s making 25 appearances, scoring six goals and five assists.

He worked his way through the ranks at Hale End before signing his first professional contract at age 17 joining the Gunners’ U23s side. Saka pushed to break into the first team squad under Arsene Wenger but never appeared under the iconic Gunners manager.

Instead, he made his debut whilst Unai Emery was the boss at the Emirates on November 29 2018 in a Europa League match against Vorksla Poltava coming on as a sub for now-Cardiff City player Aaron Ramsey.

In January 2019, Saka made his Premier League debut coming on as a sub for Alex Iwobi and in turn, becoming the first player born in 2001 to play in the division.

Saka had to wait until his second season in the first team to score his first goal, which came against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League, he also finished the game with two assists which gave him the chance to make his first Premier League start in the following match against Aston Villa.

The 23-year-old ended up making 39 appearances in the 2019/20 season, scoring four goals and 12 assists primarily from the left-back spot due to injuries to Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney.

However, in 2020/21, Bukayo Saka established himself as a key starter for the Gunners as he won the Arsenal Player of the Season award after making 46 appearances, scoring seven goals and nine assists.

Under Mikel Arteta, he began to play more of an attacking role which is familiar to anyone watching the Gunners today. The following season, Saka won the Player of the Season award again being the first player to retain the award since Thierry Henry in 2003 and 2004, who is his favourite footballer.

His quick development gave Arsenal a star winger that they have used to build a title challenging side against Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.

Saka has now made over 230 appearances for the Gunners despite being just 23, scoring 61 goals and providing 60 assists; he is no doubt, one of the Premier League’s best.

Saka is one of England’s first names on the team sheet

Much like his Arsenal career, Saka worked his way through the youth teams at the international level finally breaking through to earn his first cap in October 2020.

Following his success, Saka was selected by Gareth Southgate for England’s squad in Euro 2020 when he famously missed during the penalty shootout in the final against Italy.

Saka received waves of abuse online alongside Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford who were all targets for racist abuse due to their misses in the shootout.

However, the young Gunner didn’t let the abuse get to him as he scored in England’s Euro 2024 penalty shootout in the quarter-final against Switzerland, something that must have felt fantastic for Saka.

Three things you may not know about Arsenal winger Saka

Due to his upbringing and family’s long-standing faith in Nigeria, Saka is a practising Christian and reportedly reads the Bible every night before going to bed.

Furthermore, due to his Nigerian roots, the winger could have chosen to play for the African nation in his international career, but as soon as he had made four appearances for England, he was tied down to the Three Lions.

Finally, in March 2024, Saka launched his own flavour of Peri-Peri Sauce in connection with Nando’s who named the sauce after him, ‘PERI-PERI Saka’.