The success of Bukayo Saka was expected claims former teammate.
Former Arsenal youngster, Stephy Mavididi has been left unsurprised by Bukayo Saka’s emergence as a star in the current Arsenal team after watching him come through the clubs youth system.
Mavididi was a part of Arsenal’s youth system from when he was 11 years old before moving to join Juventus in 2018 when he could not be offered a first-team chance by the Gunners.
He, however, had the pleasure of watching his fellow academy graduates like Bukayo Saka play through the Arsenal youth system and claims he always expected the 18 years old left-winger to be a future star.
He also had the pleasure of playing with and watching the likes of Joe Willock, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Reiss Nelson develop their careers in the Arsenal academy before breaking into the first team.
He insists that he is happy with how their careers have turned out.
“I remember when I was at Hale End, I must have been about 13 or 14 and I used to watch Bukayo [Saka] with the Under-8s,” Mavididi told Goal.com.
“He used to just get the ball and run through the whole team and score. It was the same with Reiss [Nelson].
“Now they are really taking their chance and I‘m so happy for them. Arsenal has always been about producing good young talent and that’s what is happening there now.
“For the young players it’s just about taking your opportunity once you get it and I think the young players who are playing now are doing that.
“It’s good to see my friends doing so well.”
Arsenal will continue their blooding of their academy graduates under Arteta as the Spaniard was once an Arsenal player and understands how important that is to the club’s philosophy.
