One Arsenal star has now publicly shared the instruction Mikel Arteta gave him for fulfilling his potential as a player.
Mikel Arteta has built an Arsenal squad full of promising talents.
Bukayo Saka is already a talismanic figure at the Emirates Stadium, and has been the Gunners’ most potent attacking threat this season having racked up 20 goals and 14 assists across all competitions.
However, given the Hale End academy graduate is still just 22-years-old, it is more than likely that his best years remain ahead of him and that he still has more levels to reach.
There has been plenty of debate this season about whether or not Saka ought to be considered a “world-class” player at this stage in his development. Regardless of whether or not he already belongs in that bracket, he remains eager to improve.
Arteta is also keen to push the England star. As much as the Spanish coach is heavily reliant upon the attacker, he is also convinced that game time is the best way for Saka to reach his full potential.
Bukayo Saka reveals Mikel Arteta instructions on game time
Already this season, and in each of his previous three campaigns, the youngster has made more than 40 appearances for Arsenal. The vast majority of these have come as starts. There have been arguments made that Saka needs more rest, and there is certainly a sense that Arsenal are in the hunt for a back up winger, but overall Arteta is of the opinion that playing so regularly is the best thing for the player.
Saka has now opened up about the manager’s advice. As quoted by the club’s official website, he said: “He told me that the elite players all do that, so if I want to be at that level too then I need to be ready to play that many games. I need to try and help my team in all of those games too. It’s big numbers, but it’s achievable. You see the best players in the world doing it, so I believe I can do it as well.”
Mikel Arteta puts his faith in youth at Arsenal
Saka is clearly happy to be playing so regularly, and doesn’t share any concerns about his game time. It is certainly vital for the Gunners that he is able to remain fit and fresh. Work needs to be done this summer to bring in a player who can provide reliable cover and competition for the 32-cap England international.
Saka is not the only young player who Arteta leans on heavily to play a lot of minutes. The likes William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli also fall into the same category.