The name Bukayo Saka is well known among many soccer fans. He is an English professional footballer playing for Arsenal FC and England National team. Apart from being among the youngest players in the two squads, his skills and abilities have made him a darling to millions of fans. So how much do you know about the celebrated Arsenal youngster?
Bukayo Saka receives the Arsenal player of the season award at Emirates Stadium on September 11th, 2021, in London, England. Photo: Stuart MacFarlane
Bukayo Saka’s journey to professional football is full of sacrifices from his parents. While he is a product of the prestigious Arsenal Academy, his parents had to sacrifice for him to get a chance in the academy. He is also self-motivated, both in training and during matches.
Bukayo Saka’s profile summary
Full name: Bukayo Ayoyinka T. M. Saka
Gender: Male Date of birth: September 5th, 2001
Age: 20 years (as of 2021)
Zodiac sign: Virgo
Place of birth: London, Borough of Ealing, United Kingdom
Nationality: British
Ethnicity: Black
Religion: Christianity
Height: 1.78 metres (5 feet 10 inches)
Weight: 65 kilograms (143 pounds)
Hair colour: Black
Eye colour: Dark brown
Profession: Footballer
Years active: 2018 – present
Current club: Arsenal FC
Net worth: $2 million
Sexual orientation: Straight
Marital status: Not married
Bukayo Saka’s biography
Bukayo was born on September 5th, 2001, in London, Borough of Ealing, United Kingdom. As the child of immigrants, he had his share of challenges. For example, choosing football as a career path was hard because football academies are expensive across the UK. Luckily, he managed to get through, becoming part of the Arsenal U23 and the senior team.
Where is Bukayo Saka from? He is from London, in the United Kingdom. However, Bukayo Saka’s parents moved to the UK from Nigeria before he was born. Even though the footballer rarely talks about his personal life, he has spoken about his nationality. He is British, and he is proud to play for the English national team.
Although it is a norm for footballers to appear at events with their girlfriends, the young player is always alone. Therefore, it is hard to ascertain whether Bukayo Saka is dating or not.
Profession The Arsenal
midfielder is undoubtedly one of the most promising players in the English Premier League. Many football commentators have nicknamed him “the next Cesc Fabregas” due to his talent and impressive statistics at junior Arsenal teams.
Arsenal U23 appearance
Freddie Ljungberg, the then coach at Arsenal Academy, saw Bukayo’s potential. So when the Arsenal U23 team was restructuring, the young player was given a contract. Playing for this junior team gave him exposure, especially as a midfielder and a game maker.
As an Arsenal midfielder
Bukayo Saka currently plays for Arsenal FC. His first game for the senior team was a match against Vorskla Poltava in the 2018 Europa League. Although he was a substitute to Aaron Ramsey, he retained the team strength, which gave Arsenal three goals to zero.
Bukayo Saka of Arsenal is challenged by Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium
Since then, the midfielder has become a key player under the current coach — Mikel Arteta. During the Bukayo Saka contract signing, the manager praised him as one of Arsenal’s key players. Bukayo is also the youngest player to play in the first team since Cesc Fabregas.
Although he is a playmaker, he scored his first goal for Arsenal on October 5th, 2020 — against Sheffield United. With a long contract in place, Bukayo has a chance to prove his skills and become the next elite footballer.
International appearances for England
Before getting a spot in the senior team in 2020, he played for the Arsenal and England junior teams (England U18 and U19). However, getting a place in the two football teams is not as competitive as the senior squad. Nonetheless, it was a chance to prove to talent scouts and football fans that he is a reliable midfielder.
Which country does Bukayo Saka play for? Many fans had imagined Bukayo Saka in Ghana or Nigeria’s national team jersey. He has the freedom to make the switch in the future. However, his chances of playing for Ghana or Nigeria are slim due to his allegiance to the English team.
When was Bukayo Saka England senior team debut? Gareth Southgate, the English national coach, allowed him to start against Wales in October 2020. Thanks to his performance against Wales in Wembley, football pundits have showered the young footballer with many praises.
Gareth Southgate is undoubtedly impressed by him and includes him in the National team always.
Bukayo Saka stats
Is Bukayo Saka a good player? Whether he is a left-back, right-back or even in midfield, Saka is one of the finest Premier League players. He can excel in half a dozen positions and scarcely delivers a poor display. As a result, he boasts some of the best stats of any youngster in the league.
Bukayo Saka of England celebrates scoring his goal during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier between England and Andorra at Wembley Stadium, in London, England
In 2018, Saka scored the winning goal for England U18 against France. Due to his remarkable performance, he was selected for the U19 squad, where he scored in his first match against Moldova.
As an Arsenal player, he has made numerous appearances in all major competitions. Bukayo has managed to score seven goals with nine assists in the Premier League so far. In all the 65 EPL appearances, the player has made an average of 27.83 passes per match.
The player has also created 13 big chances in his time at Arsenal. Most of the opportunities he has created are from his impressive 220 crosses. As a result, he has become the teams most dependable player and rarely misses a game.
How much is Bukayo Saka’s net worth?
Although Bukayo has only played for Arsenal at the club level, he has a wealth value estimated at £2 million. The net worth is from the Arsenal contract and his remuneration for the past two years as a professional footballer.
While Bukayo Saka’s salary of £30,000-a-week is not the highest in the Arsenal senior team, he is one of the wealthiest young footballers in the UK. Moreover, thanks to his current form, he can renegotiate his contract and get more salary like other elite players in the team.
Unlike most players, Bukayo does not post pictures of his car(s). Also, the details of his home/ apartment are private. Therefore, it is hard to tell which properties he has bought in the last two years of playing professional football.
What is Bukayo Saka’s transfermarkt value?
With the youngster’s star shining, he has attracted interest from some top clubs in the world. He is a target for Juventus and Atletico Madrid with under three years remaining on his Arsenal contract. Suppose Arsenal wants to sell the British footballer, how much will they demand?
Bukayo Saka of Arsenal takes on Pierre Lees-Melou of Norwich during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Norwich City at Emirates Stadium on September 11th, 2021. Photo: David Price Source: Getty Images
Transfermarkt values him at £58.5m. However, another football database, CIES, values Saka at €70 – 90 million, considerably higher than Transfermarkt. It will be interesting to know how much the club will be willing to sell Saka’s services for.
Bukayo Saka’s body measurements
Bukayo has an athletic body. He stands at 1.78 metres (5 feet 10 inches) tall, and his body weighs 65 kilograms (143 pounds). Additionally, his eyes are dark brown, and his hair is black.
