Rio Ferdinand has now claimed that one Arsenal player may need to change their position for their country at Euro 2024 this month.
A host of Mikel Arteta’s stars are at the tournament right now, 11 players in total.
Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are all representing England at the tournament, albeit in different roles.
Arsenal also have Kai Havertz (Germany), Kieran Tierney (Scotland), David Raya (Spain), Jorginho (Italy), Jakub Kiwior (Poland), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Ukraine), Leandro Trossard (Belgium) and not to forget William Saliba representing France.
It’s a strong contingent, and it seems fairly likely that at least one Arsenal player will return to north London with a winners medal.
Of course, Rio Ferdinand is most concerned about England’s hopes of glory in Germany, who he represented 83 times.
And to that end, Ferdinand has now been discussing the possibility of Saka changing positions in Gareth Southgate’s team.
Rio Ferdinand thinks Bukayo Saka may be needed at left-back for England
Although Saka was superb in his customary right wing role against Serbia, constantly beating his opposing full-back, England do have an injury concern with Kieran Trippier.
Left-back is the weakest area of the squad with only Luke Shaw in reserve – who isn’t fully fit either.
Therefore with Trippier going down late on against Serbia last Sunday, Ferdinand has presented a contingency plan involving Saka returning to a role he often played in 2021.
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And whilst Southgate insists that Trippier was only cramping, Ferdinand thought it was better to be prepared nonetheless.
Speaking via FIVE, he said: “Yeah, if Shaw’s not fit then 100 per cent, we’re bang in trouble.
“We would have to put Saka at left-back. I’d play Saka at left-back then I would.
“If you ain’t got Shaw and you ain’t got Trippier then I would play Saka at left-back. I’d play it where as soon as we get possession you’re [Saka] a left winger.”
Saka was a makeshift left-back for Arteta in 2020/21
Calls for Saka to play at left-back aren’t entirely unfounded, given that the Arsenal man did often play there for Arteta in his early days at the Emirates Stadium.
In Arteta’s first season in 2020/21, both Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac were injured meaning Saka played in the role, and did rather well.
But given all the progress the Arsenal man has now made in attack, with Kyle Walker recently labelling Saka as ‘incredible’, what England would lose going forward makes it an untenable solution.
Instead, Southgate should have called up further cover at left-back, perhaps even including Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell in his squad.
Saka is simply too important for England in their front three, a player with a rare ability to repeatedly beat their opposing full-back.
That being said, perhaps Arsenal should actually be looking to sign one of Saka’s England teammates who Rice is a big fan of.