The one thing which stood out most about Bukayo Saka from an early age was his desire to succeed. His ability to beat a man and versatility were also crucial to his development with both Arsenal and England.
“He was a very quiet boy, incredibly respectful, a great listener, desperate to please and wanted to do his best,” says Neil Dewsnip, former England under18’s coach. “We played him at left-back in a very attacking 4-3-3 shape, in the same team as Mason Greenwood. Bukayo could also play as an attacking winger, and could even go over to the right-hand side, so he was very versatile.
“His ability to run past people with or without the ball was superb, as was his one-on-one dribbling, and he could score a few goals.” “He’s still in that breakthrough stage, really. He’s made a really good start to his football career, but there is a long way to go,” he says. “He was always so humble.
When you are that good at something and you are playing against others who aren’t on the same level, it is important to remain a good sportsman. One day, he’ll be Arsenal captain,” Dewsnip added. “For a coach, there is nothing better than working with a player who breaks in at national level, but equally, expectations need to be managed.
