SAKA HAD HUNGER TO SUCCEED

LOOKING UP: Rising star Saka wrapped up warm in training yesterday with team-mate Aubameyang, below

ARSENAL rising star Bukayo Saka has spoken of his determination to reach the top as his junior team-mates fell by the wayside.

The 18-year-old has provided a host of assists this season, one of which enabled Alexandre Lacazette to give the Gunners the edge in their Europa League tie against Olympiakos.

With the wide player earning rave reviews – Lacazette believes he is the best young star in the Premier League – Saka gave an insight into the work he has put in to make his breakthrough.

Speaking of taking his place in the starting line-up in the 1-1 draw at Manchester United in September, he said: “I was standing on the pitch at Old Trafford. It was just my second-ever start in the Premier League and it finally hit me – I’m in the Arsenal first team. I

Vhad been here 10 years earlier with my dad, sitting in the away end with the Newcastle fans. But here I was as a player.

“You go through the youth teams, year by year, and you see all these great players around you and slowly they are all let go, to other clubs or even stopping completely.

“So you could never be sure that you would make it, but what I said to myself is that I would always give my best in every single session.

“We had a big group at Hale End [in north London], and even

ARSENAL Leno; Sokratis, Mustafi, Luiz, Saka; Guendouzi, Torreira; Willock, Aubameyang, Martinelli; Lacazette.

OLYMPIAKOS Sa; Elabdellaoui, Cisse, Ba, Tsimikas; Fortounis, Guilherme; Camara, Masouras, El-Arabi; Valbuena. though we had so many quality players, the coaches would always say, ‘Look around the dressing room, only maybe one or possibly two of you will make it to the first team one day’.

“We would look at each other and wonder who it would be.

“I was always determined for it to be me, and so I wanted to do whatever it took to achieve that.”

Lacazette was full of praise for his teenage team-mate, saying: “He’s really good. I think he’s maybe the best young player in the league.

“He needs to improve in a few things but you can see the quality he has and he’s humble.

“The best thing for him is to be involved. He wants to work and he accepts criticism because he wants to improve.”