Highlights
- Bukayo Saka wins the PFA men’s Young Player of the Year award for the 2022/23 season after his impressive performances, scoring 15 goals and providing 11 assists in all competitions.
- Saka also built his perfect Premier League football player, taking his own left foot
- Arsenal fans show their love and support for Saka, stating they wouldn’t sell him even if it guaranteed winning the league
Bukayo Saka has responded after hearing huge praise given to him by the Arsenal faithful; while he also built his perfect Premier League football player, which includes two direct rivals.
What’s the latest on Bukayo Saka and Arsenal?
At the start of this week, the 21-year-old winger was acknowledged for his superb efforts last term as he won the PFA men’s Young Player of the Year award for the 2022/23 season.
Across that campaign, Saka scored 15 times in all competitions and provided 11 assists. He was also involved in all 38 Premier League games, and finished ahead of teammate Gabriel Martinelli, Manchester City goal ace Erling Haaland (who won the PFA men’s Player of the Year award), Jacob Ramsey, Evan Ferguson and Moises Caicedo.
Saka took to social media to express how delighted he was with the award, saying: “It’s an honour for me to accept this award and have my name alongside the previous winners. To have your peers acknowledge you is a very special feeling! Thank you to the PFA and congratulations to all the other winners and nominees this evening.”
He was also able to enjoy himself at the event, it seems, as he was quizzed at one point by Goal, who asked him to build his perfect Premier League footballer.
In the video, he said he would take Man City ace Kevin de Bruyne’s right foot; use his own left foot; take Martinelli’s speed; have Kyle Walker’s strength; and use Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard’s football IQ.
And on top of this, Goal also showed him a video of Arsenal fans repeatedly saying they wouldn’t sell him, even if it guaranteed winning the league.
As all the Emirates faithful said they couldn’t sell him simply because he means too much to them, Saka replied saying: “Wow, that’s real love you know. That’s real talk.”
He added: “That’s real love. I appreciate that. And I hope I can pay off their faith.”
How old is Bukayo Saka in Arsenal?
Still only 21 years of age, Saka can technically win the award again next season as you have to be that age or younger at the start of the campaign – though previously, the award was open to any player under 23 years of age in England’s football leagues.
No doubt Saka will be hoping to go one step further this term, however, and win the main award outright – although Haaland has set a high bar for that having scored 52 goals in all competitions in his debut season with City, while also winning the treble.
With two goals in three games so far this season, though, Saka has made a pretty strong start to the current season. What’s more, as per WhoScored, he has been the best-performing Arsenal player in this time, with an average match rating of 7.60.
He may well have strong competition for individual accolades from his teammates though. After all, alongside Saka, Odegaard, William Saliba and Aaron Ramsdale were all also selected in the 2022/23 PFA’s Premier League Team of the Year.
The full team was: Aaron Ramsdale; Kieran Trippier, Ruben Dias, John Stones, William Saliba; Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Martin Odegaard; Bukayo Saka, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane.