Soccer
Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta likes the ‘good signs’ and intent Bukayo Saka is showing
Mikel Arteta has seen Bukayo Saka’s determination to take his game to a new level during Arsenal’s Premier League title defence.
Saka was affected by an Achilles injury last season that also lingered into England’s World Cup campaign, limiting him to only three starts in their eight games.
The 25-year-old winger cut short his summer break to report early for club duty and that intent has been rewarded with goals against Coventry and Aston Villa – the first time he has scored in consecutive league matches since November 2024.
Even with Saka not firing on all cylinders in 2025-26, the Gunners won seven per cent more games if he was involved and his contribution becomes even more important after the club was unable to recruit an elite level forward during the transfer window.
Referencing the hunger being shown by Saka, boss Arteta said: “I noticed that straight away.
“The fact that he wanted to come in early was already a great sign and there was the way he prepared during the summer.
“Things happen in your career and then you need certain motivation, or a little pinch sometimes, to take it to a different level.
“And there are really good signs that Bukayo is giving to think that is going to be the case.”
Saka gets the opportunity to continue his scoring streak against Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Sunday in a clash between London rivals who have made 100 per cent starts to the season.
Even at this early stage it is shaping up to be a title showdown and Arteta believes Chelsea will be a force following the arrival of new manager Xabi Alonso, who can focus on the Premier League due to the absence of European action.
“I think they have every ingredient to be in the highest part of the table,” Arteta said.
“Knowing him (Alonso), knowing the history of the club, the quality of their squad, the schedule that they are going to face in relation to other teams, it’s very, very possible that is going to be the case.”
Arteta has been joined in the Premier League season by fellow Spanish managers Alonso and Liverpool’s Andoni Iraola and the trio have been friends since lining up together as eight-year-olds for a small club in San Sebastian.
Arteta believes growing up in the Basque region has developed resilience in all three of them.
“We have tough skin,” he said. “We have obviously dealt with a lot, inside the country as well. That has reinforced us, it has made us different. Not better, but different in a sense.
“We have used that education and those values to be probably more prepared when we have to face difficult moments and challenges, to go for it.”
