Ex-England coach insists Bukayo Saka 'is in the best in the world category - he's that good'
Arsenal star believes this will be the Gunners' season and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says there is one man who will stand out in their pursuit of top honours
by Andy Dunn · The MirrorAfter the significant win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates on Tuesday night, Bukayo Saka said he believed this would be Arsenal’s ‘year’ - the ‘year’ being season, of course.
The 23-year-old Arsenal attacker also said he believed in himself ‘a lot’ and suggested he was well and truly fed up with finishing as a runner-up. He sounded like a young man on a mission and if there is one player with the right mentality and with enough ability to inspire Arsenal to major competition success, it is Saka.
Just ask Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who worked closely with Saka in the England camp at Euro 2024 and was mightily impressed by the Arsenal player’s attitude and ability.
In fact, Hasselbaink was so impressed, he is now convinced Saka is unrivalled in his position.
Hasselbaink declared: “Bukayo Saka is in the best in the world category when it comes to wide forwards. You can put Saka up against any other wide forward in the game - he’s that good. What I love about Saka is his attitude.
"He’s so humble, doesn’t have an ego, and he has the character to do every single part of the game. If you ask him to do the defensive work, he does with the same commitment as he does when he attacks. Other players don’t do that. Saka scores goals, he creates goals.”
And there was a moment in Germany in the summer that, for Hasselbaink, typified Saka’s approach to the game. Hasselbaink told Genting Casino: “His mentality is super. When I asked him (at the Euros) if he wanted to take a penalty, he said - ‘yeah, why wouldn’t I?’ He is a player that takes responsibility and isn’t fazed by anything or any scenario - he backs himself to be the best in any situation.
“He is a big-time player and it was a pleasure to work with him. When I used to go through videos with him, analysing different opponents and their weaknesses, he always listened, he always wanted to improve.
"He is a player with an amazing attitude and, in his desire to be the best player he can be, he leaves no stone unturned.”
But while Saka is providing plenty of attacking threat for Arsenal, Hasselbaink says Mikel Arteta’s current set-up smacks of the George Graham era. The Dutchman explained: “They are a team that has mastered the art of defending, they have become so hard to break down and beat.
"The players look like they love it - they enjoy the battles, you can see it on their faces. This Arteta team actually reminds me of George Graham’s Arsenal. He built his title-winning teams on the defence - that’s why he won two titles with the club. Arteta knows that if he wants to win the Premier League, he needs to keep a lot of clean sheets.”
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