This season, Arsenal wants to break through the barriers placed around the elusive Premier League trophy. Following two years of nearly missing out against Manchester City, Mikel Arteta will be hoping for third time lucky in north London.

Arsenal had appeared to be favorites in each of the previous two seasons, but they were destroyed by Man City’s amazing late-season play, which they consistently manage to put together.

There is optimism that this might be the year after Arteta shipped out only the fringe players in his roster and signed Raheem Sterling, Riccardo Calafiori, and Mikel Merino this summer.

Arsenal Calafiori

Over the course of the last four and a half years, many amazing stories have emerged, but none more so than the one involving Bukayo Saka, who may be the best of them all.

Why is Bukayo Saka so unique?

The best of Hale End. Saka made his professional debut in November 2018, helping the 3-0 victory over Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League by substituting in off the bench.

Arsenal-Saka-Wolves

Saka, who turned 23 this past weekend, has already had a quick ascent to the top of the European game, winning the FA Cup 2019–20 and two Community Shields while amassing 59 goals and 56 assists in 229 appearances.

This England international is a magician on the right side. According to FBref, he is in the top 14% of offensive midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for goals scored, the top 9% for assists, the top 8% for actions that create shots, and the top 13% for tackles per ninety.

Bukayo Saka: Competitors’ Senior Stats

rivalry

Applications

Objectives

Helps

First Division

173

48

38

League of Europa

25

5.

9.

FA Cup

11

1.

1.

Champions League

9.

4

4

Cup Carabao

9.

1.

2.

Community Defense

2.

0

2.

Statistics from Transfermarkt

He’s unique, but is he really? What if there was another undiscovered genius at Arsenal just waiting to be discovered? Many of you would already be familiar with Ethan Nwaneri, who is on track to emerge as the newest Gunners superstar.

The player who is going to emulate Saka

Nwaneri, who took Fabio Vieira’s place on the field when he was just 15 years and 188 days old, is the youngest debutant in Premier League history.

In 53 youth games, the 17-year-old has tallied 27 goals and claimed ten assists; nevertheless, he is now at the point where he could make the switch to regular first-team action.

Lyon-Arsenal-Nwaneri

He hasn’t been used as a substitute in any of Arsenal’s first-round Premier League games this year. He did not play much in the previous season; he started the top-flight match at the Emirates against West Ham United from the bench and then came off the bench to make his divisional debut in the rematch.

Given the tight schedule Arsenal has this season, it’s reasonable to believe that Arteta, who is clearly enjoying a rapid ascent, will play only sometimes. This is especially true given his inclusion in the matchday squad each week.

He is, without a doubt, highly regarded. Talent scout Jacek Kulig referred to Nwaneri as the “absolute diamond” of Arsenal’s development system, and while he attempts to carve out a path toward the spotlight, he is beginning to study club captain Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal will hope that Odegaard, their general in midfield, stays for many more years, but Nwaneri may be the ideal backup. Over the previous few years, Odegaard has been a maestro and monster in the middle, winning Player of the Season both years.

Ben Mattinson, an Arsenal fan and analyst who is also the captain Martin Odegaard, has even speculated that the teenager’s “best position is likely to be as a no. 10/second striker.” like the location of Odegaard’s previous season’s game [2022/23]”.

Nwaneri might use Odegaard’s expertise in box-crashing to bolster his own skill set. He demonstrated as much, after all, by scoring three goals in four games during the U17 European Championship.

Throughout the upcoming season (and beyond), Arteta will have to oversee the workload of the gifted kid, but this is a player whose talent and developing ability bely his youth.

Consider his brief appearance against West Ham in the resounding 6-0 thrashing from the previous season. Although there is little data available, Sofascore shows that the England U19 international won two of his three contested duels and completed 83% of his passes.

The transfer of Nwaneri Man, United Van Persie, Premier League, Ten Hag

Saka has benefited much from a persistent, well-rounded, and hands-on approach similar to this one. The £195k-a-week player is undoubtedly a superb technical with unrivaled tactical acumen, but he’s also a capable defender who has played left-back in the past.

Saka’s dynamic nature has distinguished him from the majority of outstanding prospects in the Premier League and throughout Europe. Additionally, as previously indicated, he is among the top 13% of positional peers for tackles per 90.

Although Mattinson has acknowledged that Nwaneri might “play in many” various places when he enters the senior league, it is obvious that his versatility will have a significant impact on his potential to succeed in the middle of the park.

Nwaneri is fundamentally a tremendous technical talent with an eye for goal and another for a pass that splits defenses, and he provides defensive security that will only get stronger over the next several years.

He might follow in Odegaard’s footsteps and follow the same path to fame that Saka took at the start of his illustrious career. You best believe that Arsenal will only get stronger.