Bukayo Saka: Arsenal winger seeking to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo would be ‘positive thing’, says Mikel Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says it would be “a positive thing” if winger Bukayo Saka attempts to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s career figures.
England international Saka has played a total of 18 goals and 18 assists for the Gunners this season.
The 23-year-old has scored in each of his past three games ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium and is second only to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah for more goals in the Premier League this season.
Asked whether Saka should emulate the outstanding statistics of his boyhood hero Ronaldo, Arteta said: “It always looks good. The way Cristiano started his career, and when he joined Manchester United, there probably wasn’t. People expected him to be able to do that in his first few seasons. “
He added: “It’s about his mentality, his work ethic, how he develops his skills, his chemistry with the team and playing in a team that’s capable of dominating.
“That’s very, very important. I think Bukayo understands that and if that’s his goal, I think that’s a positive thing.”
Ronaldo, who joined Manchester United in 2003 at the age of 18, won the Ballon d’Or – awarded to the best player in the world – five times.
The Portuguese star is also a five-time Champions League winner and the all-time top scorer in Europe’s elite club competition.
“In terms of numbers, we see changes every year with Bukayo,” Arteta said.
“He’s offering something else. He’s adding something to his game, he’s getting more consistent and at this stage of the season his numbers in terms of goals and assists are unbelievable.
“He can only improve, he can only get better. He has the right players around him to continue to do that, especially because he wants more.”
