Bukayo Saka is one of four Arsenal stars who have made the initial list of 100 nominees for the Golden Boy award 2021, as revealed by Tuttosport.
The Gunners have been the breeding ground for some of Europe’s top youngsters over the years.
The likes of Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin can credit the club for helping them to become top European footballers.
Mikel Arteta has continued the club’s tradition of grooming some fine youngsters around Europe.
He has the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli in his first-team squad now.
Saka, Martinelli and Folarin Balogun alongside William Saliba have been nominated for the award that is offered to the best player under 21 years of age.
Saka has been one of Arsenal’s most important players for the last two seasons, while Martinelli has been a fans’ favourite as he shows so much commitment on the pitch and always looks dangerous to the opposition.
Balogun has just been promoted to the first team and would expect to feature prominently next season.
Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019, but he hasn’t started a game for them yet and has instead been spending time on loan at French clubs.
He will return this summer, hoping to finally get a chance to play for the Gunners.
Seems very odd that Smith-Rowe was excluded from this list given he starys ahead of Balogun and or Martinelli.
How I wish EMILE SMITH-ROWE (the young gun) could be nominated too! So MA MUST take note of Saliba & TINELLI.
A startling and rather amateur omission of the excellent ESR. Trouble is though, when such a huge gaffe is plainly made, which all Gooners will immediately notice,it is hard to take the rest of such an article seriously.
However, I will state my own opinion which is first Saka, second ESR, third Martinelli and the other two mentioned have done nothing as yet to be mentioned in the list at all. Which is NOT to say that they won;t alter this in the coming season.
Quite irrespective of the site Ad MARTIN QUOTES, all REAL Gooners know who should and should not be on the four PROPER list of young gunners listed.
That’s not bad to have Saka, Balogun, Saliba, SmithRowe & Martinelli all being noticed for their qualities at Arsenal in the Top100+ kids about.
Saliba returning is super for us as I think he will be a huge hit at the back… Dino looks like hes going for £7m to Stuttgart, really hope there is a buy back clause in that deal but Ben White for £50m I do not understand at all when we have Gabriel, Holding and Mari to which one will have to be sold.
Saka, Balogun, SmithRowe and Martinelli all will have a strong pre season to build on but then what of Laca, Auba, Willian & Eddie?
Middle of the Park Xhaka, Lucas, Matteo, AMN & Elneny all need to be sold before we bring in 2 new midfielders, one to replace Xhaka to slip in beside Thomas and another to take the burden of SmithRowe for the creativity. Willock will be back to and I’m assuming to take Danny’s spot in the squad.
Wing backs in each position is needed, a starter for Rb and Cover for Tierny once we get rid of Bellerin & Kolasnic and I’d have one of Chambers or Soares sold also.