Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has admitted that it is a dream to play in the Champions League amid reports that Manchester City are planning a move for him.
The reigning Premier League champions have recently been linked with a move for his services, with ESPN suggesting that both City and Liverpool are keeping tabs on the England international should Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League.
It is also been speculated that with his contract set to expire in 2024, he may be one of the candidates in the current squad that could be sold - with the north London club able to demand a significant fee for his services.
Now, Saka himself has admitted that he harbours ambitions of playing in the Champions League in the near future, having never made his debut in the competition - something that would almost certainly be on offer under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
Talking to Sky Sports, he said: "I think the Champions League creates so many special nights and it's a dream for me still to experience one of them and hopefully many more of them.”
But Saka has spoken with passion about Arsenal and his decision to join the Gunners as a youngster, with the 20-year-old keen to make his Champions League dream a reality with the north London club.
Of course, Arsenal are currently embroiled in a battle to earn back their place at Europe’s top table.
The Gunners have not played in the Champions League since the 2016/17 season, while they also missed out on European football entirely this term.
However, Mikel Arteta’s men sit sixth in the Premier League table at the time of writing and could close the gap to West Ham United with victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday.
Amid Saka’s Champions League ambition, the 20-year-old has also made clear his affection for Arsenal after his decision to join the Gunners academy despite interest from north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
"I think Arsenal was always the one I wanted to go to," Saka said.
"It seemed like they had a lot of faith in their youth and there was a clear pathway when you could see the players coming up from Hale End to London Colney and my dad also really believed in the project and he loved Arsene Wenger.
“I think Arsenal was the club in the hearts of my family, so we chose them."
The youngster is currently in the midst of one of his most productive seasons as an Arsenal player, having netted seven goals and provided four assists so far in all competitions.
