Bukayo Saka has sent a warning to his Premier League opponents after admitting he is much 'smarter and stronger' now than before as he aims to keep getting better. The Arsenal star has scored 11 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions so far this season, proving to be the club's talisman once again.
There have been some concerns regarding Saka picking up potential injuries given the amount of times he is fouled, with Gunners full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko urging referees to offer him more protection. The England international has played down this kind of talk after admitting that it is common for wingers to often be kicked by opposition defenders.
Saka has set himself some lofty standards as he continues to try and improve his game to help his boyhood club challenge for the Premier League title and in cup competitions. Mikel Arteta has been influential in the 21-year-old's development at the Emirates Stadium with Saka explaining how his manager helps him improve.
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Saka revealed how Arteta wants him to receive possession in less-congested areas, allowing him to quickly escape the attentions of defenders. Speaking to the Evening Standard, the Hale End graduate said: "He's talking about the type of balls I receive.
"As a winger, if you receive the ball on the touchline with your back to the defender, even if I'm the defender, I'd do the same: come in straight and fast, close you down. So, of course, there's going to be a lot of pressure and a lot of contact.
"I think he's talking about those type of balls, the type of balls where I don't have much space to manoeuvre and the defender can close me down quickly and be really aggressive."
At the start of the season, Saka set himself the target of bettering his 19 goal contributions from last season but refused to give specific details on what he wants to achieve on a personal level this term. "I'm not going to say [if I'm close] but no, I haven't hit them yet," he continued.
"In football and in life, I've matured a lot. I'd say definitely in my game I'm a much better player than when I made my debut.
"I'm a much smarter player as well. I'm stronger and I feel like there's a lot I've had to deal with, different pressure situations and it has made me more mature and to understand how to deal with it again.
"I don't put words to myself. I just see myself as constantly trying to develop.
"No matter the age, I still want to improve and I still have a lot to improve. I just want to constantly keep getting better and keep delivering top performances every week. That's the standard I set myself."
Saka is one of the Premier League's most dangerous attackers and at the age of just 21, there is still plenty to come from Arsenal's brightest talent. The England international's contract is set to expire next summer but the club are confident Saka will sign a new long-term deal and commit his future to the Gunners moving forward.
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