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Mikel Arteta commended Bukayo Saka’s “remarkable talent” following the Arsenal forward’s brace that propelled his team to a 3-0 victory over Monaco, bringing them closer to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday.
Saka scored late in both halves at the Emirates Stadium, with Kai Havertz sealing Arsenal’s fourth win in six matches during the revamped league phase of Europe’s premier club competition.
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The Gunners are currently third in the standings with two games left, vying for automatic qualification to the last 16 through a top-eight finish.
Upcoming fixtures against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona in January should make this a manageable goal for Arsenal.
However, in their quest to claim the Champions League title for the first time, Arteta’s squad will need England star Saka to sustain his exceptional form.
The 23-year-old has netted five goals in his last six appearances across all competitions and has a total of nine for the season, along with numerous assists.
Even these impressive figures fail to capture Saka’s overall impact on Arsenal.
Arteta understands better than anyone the extent of Saka’s growth since the Spaniard took over in 2019.
“He appears very mature. What he has achieved at such a young age is astonishing. He is humble, a fantastic presence, and possesses incredible talent,” Arteta remarked.
“He is a unique individual. His leadership qualities are evolving, and he excels with both young players and seasoned professionals. He is cherished by everyone and consistently makes a difference on the pitch.”
– ‘The ambition he has’ –
Saka maintains a quiet, modest demeanor both on and off the field, leaving little room for self-promotion.
Yet analysts are beginning to consider the winger among the world’s elite forwards, and Arteta concurs that he is on a promising path to be compared with talents like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Vinicius Junior.
“That’s what he aspires to. That’s the ambition he possesses and the skill he has. He prepares himself daily, so I’m not surprised,” he noted.
“Consistency over many years is necessary to prove yourself in that role.
“Given what he has accomplished at his young age, he fits into those categories. His six years in professional football have been exceptional, and that’s simply the truth.
“It has been an evolution. At 18 or 19, he wasn’t capable of this. A year or two ago, he developed in the right way—his fitness, his preparation.
“Now, he has the routine of playing every three days, and he’s excelling at the highest level.”
Arsenal has won five of their last six outings across all competitions, but Arteta acknowledged they weren’t at their peak against Monaco.
They squandered several chances in the first half and were fortunate that Monaco could not capitalize on opportunities to level the score before Saka’s decisive second goal.
“We ought to have scored four or five in the first half, but that wasn’t the case,” Arteta stated.
“In the Champions League, tough moments arise, and we endured some, but once we secured the second goal, we regained control of the match.”
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Arsenal was eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals last season.
This season, they appear more composed in Europe, and Arteta is confident in their ability to mount a serious title challenge.
“We are enjoying our journey. We are capable of competing against any opponent,” he said.
“We continue to learn. Clearly, we require more; we need to navigate certain challenges, and I’m certain we will do so in the near future.”
