Bukayo Saka says he and his Arsenal team-mates are “not scared” of saying they want to win the Premier League or Champions League this season.
The Gunners have finished runners-up to Manchester City in each of the past two domestic campaigns, and head into the festive period this year third in the table – six points off top spot.
They returned to the Champions League last season after a six-year absence, reaching the quarter-finals.
It is four years since Arsenal won a major trophy, and Saka is determined to help them end that run this season.
“We’re not scared. The last two seasons we’ve competed for the league and come very close,” he told BBC Sport in an exclusive interview.
“We’re also back in the Champions League – we have some experience there now – so we feel we’re ready to compete for every trophy.
“We really want to take that next step and try to win something.”
Saka was part of the Arsenal squad that won the FA Cup in 2020 but has also experienced the disappointment of losing two European Championship finals, and twice finishing second in the Premier League.
“It’s horrible, I’ll be honest,” he said.
“It’s just that extra fuel for me and extra motivation. I want to get it over the line this season and try to lift the trophy, for sure.
“You work the whole season and you’re so close, you’ve literally got one hand on the trophy, you’re in the final or you’re right there to win the Premier League, or whatever trophy you’re competing for that season, and then you don’t win it… it’s like the whole year’s work… and nothing to show for it.
“I know you can be proud of the season and evolution and development, but that’s why more than ever we want to take the next step and win.”
Saka on recognition and set-pieces
At 23, Saka has already become one of the first names on the teamsheet for both club and country.
This season he has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in 22 appearances.
The Arsenal academy graduate has previously spoken about how Cristiano Ronaldo is one of his idols, and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said it would be “positive” if he sought to match the Portugal great’s career numbers.
Saka says recognition from those around football is “not so important”.
“I feel like I know what I want to achieve in the game and people are always going to talk regardless whether I do something or whether I don’t do it,” he said.
“Even if we win, people will still talk. So my mentality is just ‘do your thing and live your life’ because people are going to talk regardless.”
Arsenal have developed a reputation as set-piece specialists, and have scored 23 goals from corners since the start of last season – more than any other Premier League team.
“We’re a top side and we happen to be top at set pieces as well,” Saka said.
“We have some big players and players who are very hungry to score.
“I can’t say anything negative about it. So, yeah, let’s just continue scoring set-pieces and hopefully it can bring us more points.”
Saka on Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel will start work as England head coach in January, and Saka says the prospect of working with the German is “exciting”.
Tuchel won the German Cup with Borussia Dortmund and two Ligue 1 titles at Paris St-Germain, including a domestic treble in 2019-20. He became Chelsea manager in January 2021, winning the Champions League, Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup.
“He’s a coach who has won in the past,” said Saka.
“He has top experience, so I think everyone is looking forward to working under him to see if we can continue and to see if we can take the next step there also.
The Three Lions’ next matches are in March, when they face Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifiers.
In reaching the top, Saka has not forgotten the people who helped him in his football journey.
He was recently reunited with his first coach – Colin Nixon. Saka was six when he played for Nixon at Greenford Celtic and they were brought together again by the Chase football coaching programme, which is helping people from low-income backgrounds get into coaching by fully funding their qualifications.
Saka has taken time out to support the project and encourage the next generation of coaches.
“I think every player you see, most of them had a coach – like Colin, for me – they started with… the coaches that believed in them… that gave them the opportunity,” he said.
“People like Colin, we value a lot. It was really nice to reunite with him because I did my first session with him about 17 years ago.”
Source: BBC
