“I know Arsenal fans will attack me again for saying this but I don’t mean to disrespect Bukayo Saka”- Man United Legend Rio Ferdinand has just made another controversial claim about Bukayo Saka before Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Porto

“I know Arsenal fans will attack me again for saying this but I don’t mean to disrespect Bukayo Saka”- Man United Legend Rio Ferdinand has just made another controversial claim about Bukayo Saka before Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Porto

‘No disrespect’: Rio Ferdinand has just made another controversial claim about Bukayo Saka

Rio Ferdinand maintains that Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka isn’t world-class – and even used Kalvin Phillips as an example this time.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand caused uproar last week, suggesting that Arsenal wide man Bukayo Saka simply isn’t world-class yet.

Ferdinand did state that Saka has been ‘unreal’ but feels it is simply too soon to call him world-class.

The ex-England ace noted that Saka is only just in his first Champions League campaign this season and hasn’t yet proven himself in the ‘nitty gritty stages’ in Europe.

Ferdinand feels that Saka can become world-class down the line, but the fall-out means he has now backed up his comments.

Rio Ferdinand comments on Bukayo Saka again
Ferdinand has been called in to defend himself on the latest episode of FIVE, with Arsenal fans seemingly unhappy with his comments.

When told that Saka had won the England player of the year award for two years in a row, Ferdinand just wasn’t having it.

Ferdinand highlighted that Adam Lallana won the award in 2016 whilst Kalvin Phillips was the choice for 2020-21.

Whilst both have been good players, Ferdinand believes that nobody would genuinely consider them to be world-class players.

Ferdinand feels that using the England player of the year award just ‘doesn’t stack up’, laughing off suggestions that it proves Saka’s standing as an elite player.

“The point about ‘oh, internationals’ and ‘he’s been the player of the year’, that’s great, you can be player of the year, no disrespect, but if you’re talking about that should be one of the things that makes him world-class… well, one of the past winners was Adam Lallana, a great player but wouldn’t be considered world-class because he’s won the player of the year,” said Ferdinand.

“Kalvin Phillips won it, are we considering him to be world-class? I’m just saying, to use the England player of the year as one of your arguments as to why he should be considered world-class, doesn’t stack up,” he added.

Saka clearly a top player
That this argument is still going on is baffling.

Saka is clearly a top-class player and he could yet end the season as a Premier League winner.

The 22-year-old has racked up 12 goals and seven assists this season whilst also chipping in with three goals and four assists in just five Champions League outings.

Whether Saka fits your definition of ‘world-class’ is one thing but Saka continues to make an enormous impact for club and country.

Maybe Ferdinand will change his mind down the line but Arsenal fans won’t be changing theirs; Saka is their ‘starboy’ and long may it continue