WEDNESDAY ARSENAL NEWS: Sensational Arsenal’s star player has undergone insane body transformation just like Cristiano Ronaldo- He looks much fitter and motivated to fight for a permanent spot in Mikel Arteta’s XI next season- check out the transformation below
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has undergone insane body transformation in the last year
Saka has clearly been hitting the gym
Images of Bukayo Saka in Arsenal training have emerged and the England star is looking shredded.
While Saka has always been in good shape, he was occasionally criticised for lacking physicality during the early stages of his career.
But a side-by-side comparison of the winger from this time last year compared to now has been shared widely on social media and the difference is striking.
Saka’s incredible body transformation
A viral tweet from verified Arsenal content producer Gooner Chris shows just how much Saka has changed physically in the past 12 months.
It highlights just how much effort the Englishman is putting in behind the scenes in order to transform himself into the best player possible.
Indeed, Saka is already blessed with blistering speed and silky dribbling skills, but having more muscle is going to make him even tougher for defenders to handle.
In the first image, Saka can be seen in Arsenal training this time last year.
There’s no doubt he was lean at the time and in brilliant shape, but it’s fair to say he now looks like an absolute unit.
Check out the transformation below
Saka’s new Arsenal contract
Having been in the Arsenal youth academy since he was a boy, Saka is one of the club’s most successful academy success stories in recent times.
He cites Thierry Henry as his favourite ever player and former Gunners star Alexis Sanchez as a huge influence – admitting he once even copied the Chilean’s choice of boots.
After first making his debut way back in 2018 and becoming the first player born in 2001 to play in a Premier League match, Saka quickly established himself as a fan favourite and has been loved by the Gunners faithful ever since.
He’s been one of Arsenal’s most integral players across the last two seasons, while also establishing himself as a key player for Gareth Southgate’s England team since Euro 2020.
Luckily for Arsenal fans, their ‘Starboy’ has penned a new long-term contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2027.
Speaking to the Arsenal website, he said: “I’m just really happy.
“There’s been a lot of talking and it’s been a while, but I’m here now. I think this is the right club, the right place to make the next step. It’s a beautiful club – look where we are.
Saka’s statistics for Arsenal so far
Despite being just 21 years of age, Saka has already made 179 appearances for Arsenal.
This includes featuring in every single Premier League game for the past two seasons – showing just how much he is valued by Mikel Arteta.
In total, Saka has scored 38 goals for the club, though he has become far more prolific in recent times.
Last year, the Englishman notched 14 Premier League goals, earning him a nomination for both the Player of the Season and the Young Player of the Season.
And though the Gunners didn’t manage to clinch the Premier League title last season, Saka has already won some silverware with the club, having been part of their FA Cup triumph in 2020.
His international career has followed a similar path.
Though he found goals hard to come by at first, he now has 11 England goals in just 28 appearances, including a recent hat-trick against North Macedonia.
Arsenal greats laud Saka
Saka has been hailed by a number of renowned former Arsenal stars, which emphasises just how highly he’s rated.
“If there’s a better player in world football at the moment, someone who both scores and makes goals, the only one I can think of is Lionel Messi,” Tony Adams told The Sun.
Ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also revealed he’d been told about the youngster while he was still in charge.
“I was told about him when I was still at the club, he was one of two or three guys who were coming through. I heard some very good things about him. I’m told he has a very good mentality.
“That’s reassuring because, these days, players are glorified so quickly that it’s important for them to have good foundations.”
Paul Merson described Saka as a ‘big moments’ player and exemplified his continued improvement.
“He’s a ‘big occasion’ player and there are not a lot of them around.
“There are players that will do a lot of things in games but they won’t be in the most important part of the game. Saka does do that, however, on a weekly basis. He’s been turning it on for Arsenal all season with the goals and assists he’s got.
“I can’t talk highly enough of the lad. He’s improved immensely, and I don’t mean improved because he now goes past four or five players, but it’s his end product.
“He’s got a great calmness about him. He’s only 21, there’s plenty more to come from him. He won’t play his best football until he’s 26, 27 or 28.”
Can Arsenal win the Premier League?
Now that the dust has settled from last season, Arsenal can look back on their efforts with pride.
Though they were eventually pipped to the finish line by Manchester City, they pushed Pep Guardiola side all the way, with an incredibly young squad.
Arsenal’s biggest problem last season was their lack of depth but Arteta has already bolstered the team with three huge additions this summer.
Kai Havertz arrived from Germany and is capable of operating in a number of positions.
Similarly, Jurrien Timber signed from Ajax and is a versatile defender who can fill in across the backline.
Their biggest coup of the window so far, though, is no doubt Declan Rice.
The former West Ham captain was wanted by a plethora of big clubs around Europe, not least Man City, but Rice has stressed that it was the lure of playing under Arteta that convinced him to join the north London side.
Given their additions so far, Arsenal have more than enough to mount another title challenge and the upcoming season is sure to be another cracker.
And if Saka himself continues to improve at the rate he is, he could end up inspiring the Gunners to their first Premier League title in 20 years.
