Bukayo Saka: My Family Chose Arsenal As A Youth Player Because Of Arsene Wenger

Bukayo Saka had a host of London clubs vying for his signature…

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka revealed that while a host of clubs in and around London were vying for signature as a youngster, he eventually joined the Gunners due to his family’s fondness of Arsene Wenger, the winger told Sky Sports.

Saka joined the club’s famed Hale End academy aged 11 after a brief stint at Watford’s academy alongside a certain Jadon Sancho.

When it was time to join an academy long-term, the 20-year-old said he had offers from Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal as well as The Hornets.

According to Saka, his final decision was a simple one due to the clear pathway illustrated between Hale End and London Colney, as well as the presence of a certain man.

“I remember one session and it was only to try things out, but we always had Arsenal in our hearts,” Saka reminisced about a trial at Spurs.

“There was Arsenal, Chelsea, Watford, Tottenham, maybe two more [clubs].

“Arsenal was the one I always wanted to go to, they had a lot of faith in their youth and there was a clear pathway. You could see players come up from Hale End to London Colney.

“My dad also really believed in the project and he loved Arsene Wenger. Arsenal was the club in the hearts of my family.”

Arsene Wenger, as the Gunners faithful frequently say, ‘has done it again.’

Saka has been an outstanding Hale End graduate and can make a case to be the most gifted player to come through the system since the turn of the century – alongside a particular left-back who’ll remain nameless.

As with every career, though, how it ends is more important than the embryonic stages and one hopes Saka successfully leads our charge back to the big time!