‘This is what you dream of’ – Arsenal’s Saka not concerned by physical demands from club and country

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At just 19 years of age, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has got the world at his feet.

Playing regularly for club and country is surely every footballer’s dream, and that’s certainly the case for the youngster.

However, the Daily Mirror note Arsenal’s caution with regards to the physical load being placed on Saka at this stage of his development.

Not that it’s even come into his thinking at the moment.

“It’s a lot of minutes but, as a kid, this is what you dream of,” he is quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.

“So I can’t now turn around and say I don’t want to play too much because I am living my dream, playing for England.

“I played all three games (in November) – who’d have thought I would do that?

“So I’m not going to complain. I just have to trust that the people in charge will manage me in the correct way and continue to help me thrive and progress as a player.”

With players getting less and less downtime now, thanks to tournaments virtually every summer, and the involvement in various domestic and European cups, the north Londoners are right to err on the side of caution.

Saka has to be true to himself too and balance the obvious delight at getting regular minutes with the reality of burn-out.

The last thing both Mikel Arteta and Gareth Southgate need is for Saka to spend a period on the sidelines because his body was unable to keep up with the demands being placed upon it.

Particularly as the Daily Mirror suggest that the player could be one of the 23 that goes to the delayed Euro 2020 tournament next year.

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