At a Glance:
- Arsenal’s attacking struggles could be remedied by Bukayo Saka’s return
- Saka must start as many games as possible in the final four Premier League games
- Arsenal’s long-term future in the right-wing position is fascinating
It does not seem particularly clear right now as to what will be the defining factor in the Arsenal-Manchester City battle for the 2025/26 Premier League title, but the return of Bukayo Saka is certainly a factor to consider.
The Gunners’ output issues have been of note so far up to this point, with the only player to have scored more than ten goals for the club being Viktor Gyokeres, who has been criticised for his playstyle despite somewhat decent output throughout the season.
None of the expected goal-getters for Arsenal have been able to get it going in the way they might want. In the Premier League, star Arsenal players such as Eberechi Eze have had games to remember rather than full seasons, while Gabriel Martinelli, whose Arsenal future is now in the balance, only has 4 G/A in 28 appearances.
But there are a few players—Eze, returning captain Martin Odegaard, and main man Saka—who could be vital if they are able to reach the levels that they have shown in previous seasons, something of which Arsenal icon Paul Merson was clear to make a point of.
READ MORE: Arsenal News Today: Ederson update, Neville reaction, Madueke concern
Bukayo Saka has the intangibles to make this all work out for the Gunners
In a sporting world where stats are key, and clubs are seeming to value expected goals on target over the intricacies of a player’s striking ability, it seems that a player’s ‘fear factor’ has been pushed to the wayside.
While it might not show in terms of results, simply having a player such as Bukayo Saka on Arsenal’s right-hand side will make defenders treat him differently when compared to a Noni Madueke or even 16-year-old Max Dowman, simply based on the fact that Saka has a proven track record in the Premier League.
Saka has 59 goals and 48 assists in 223 domestic league appearances, with his best seasons coming in 2022/23 and 2023/24, where he was able to end the year with 25 goal contributions—the latter season saw him particularly impress in terms of scoring, with 16 PL goals.
His last game for Arsenal came when the Gunners lost 2-0 to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, a match where many of the team’s stars looked lost—but his brief cameo against Newcastle saw him mesh well with Odegaard and right-back Ben White, in a trio that has done so much for Arsenal in seasons gone by.
The right-wing position is still a question for Arsenal heading in to next season
Arsenal currently has three players involved with the club who are most comfortable playing on the right-hand side of attack, and which one is prioritised is a crucial question, no matter what happens next year.
Bukayo Saka is the obvious choice. At only 24, he is still young in the grand scheme of things and has proven so much in his time with the club, but injuries in the past couple of seasons seem to have stalled his progress despite still being one of Arsenal’s best players.
Noni Madueke is Saka’s backup in a traditional sense, and works best as that—a quick winger willing to take on his man, but one that also lacks an end product strong enough to start a full 90 against strong opposition.
Max Dowman is an enigma, as at 16 he has shown a tenacity and maturity very rarely seen in players so young. Perhaps the only question about Dowman is his ability to track back, but his goal against Everton showed just how talented a player he is, and should end up becoming. Perhaps the most obvious answer to Arsenal’s long-term future.
