Manchester United legend Andy Cole has lauded Arsenal starlet Bukayo Saka.
Saka has enjoyed an exceptional 2022/23 campaign so far, netting nine goals and providing a further eight assists in the Premier League in just 23 outings. That kind of form has propelled the Gunners to the top of the league table, currently sitting two points clear of second-placed Manchester City despite having one game in hand on Pep Guardiola's side.
Now, former United and Newcastle striker Cole has heaped praise on the 21-year-old while admitting that the Hale End academy graduate also needs to toughen up a bit when it comes to constantly getting kicked by opponent defenders. "I agree with Thierry Henry, Bukayo Saka does need to give his opponents a bit more stick and toughen up", Cole told Best Sports Betting Canada when speaking about the England international.
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"But I've met Saka, and I just thought 'wow, what a lovely kid he is'. This is why I love football, everyone is raving about him and got into the Arsenal team by default through the academy.
"Remember when people were looking at him when he was playing full back and saying he won't be good enough? Look at him now, Saka is Arsenal's best player.
"He's so level-headed and innocent, goes out there and plays the game with a smile on his face after going through all the abuse from the Euros. As an ex-professional and someone who played at the highest level, I love to see what he's doing, he is a really special talent."
Cole mentioned Arsenal icon Thierry Henry, who also urged Saka to develop a mean streak if he wants to get to the next level as a player. "I said it the other day, I was on Amazon obviously doing the game against West Ham and I said: 'Big players are not nice'," Henry told Amazon Prime when discussing the young winger.
"If you wanna be big, if you wanna be the guy… big players are not nice.”'
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