‘Shining light’ Saka a role model for youngsters, says Arsenal legend | OneFootball

Martin Keown has described Bukayo Saka as a ‘real role model’ and says he is paving the way for the young players coming through Arsenal’s youth system.

Keown, speaking exclusively to Hayters TV about the release of his new book ‘On the Edge’, was very positive about Arsenal’s prospects and the direction in which they are heading.

“Saka is a shining light for these youngsters and a real role model,” he said.

“He probably doesn’t realise that. He’s not playing as a role model, but the journey he’s been on, how humble he is, is making it easier for the next lads to come through and we’re seeing that now.”

Saka has had a phenomenal breakthrough into the Arsenal first team. He only made his debut in November of 2018, and has gone on to become an integral part of Mikel Arteta’s team.

Since the start of the 2021/22 Premier League season, he has missed only five of the Gunners’ 132 league games. That number will increase now, however, with the news of his hamstring injury which is set to keep him out of action until March or April.

Keown, who played 449 times for Arsenal, believes the culture around the club currently is similar to how it was when he was there and the Gunners enjoyed incredible success.

“I think now I’m seeing that we’ve got the right people in the building again. And I’m confident that something big could happen, but you have to have good people. What I see and feel is that the fighting spirit is back again at the football club.”

Arteta’s side currently sit nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, although they are unbeaten since early November and their form has picked up after a disappointing period of games in which they only won two out of seven.

The former defender also had positive words to say on Arteta: “The manager now is getting more and more experienced, you can see it, you can sense it. It’s just about retaining belief, isn’t it? In the backdrop of Liverpool doing what they’re doing, and with their experience.

“Look, we should be experienced enough now to know there’s a long way to go in this race. We’ve seen it, but I am just enjoying what Arsenal are doing right now. It looks like a good future, but we have to just stick with it and keep believing.”

Arsenal are now entering a crucial period where they face Brentford, Brighton, Newcastle, Manchester United, Tottenham and Aston Villa in their next six games across three different competitions.