Luuk de Jong has lauded Bukayo Saka and insisted that the Arsenal star has enough quality to change a game on his own.
De Jong was speaking to The Times ahead of PSV Eindhoven’s Champions League group-stage opener against the Gunners this week.
Bukayo Saka has had a mixed start to the campaign by his own standards. Arsenal are yet to reach top gear – yet only find themselves two points off the summit in the Premier League – and that may have impacted Saka’s own form.
The 22-year-old has still scored two goals and contributed two assists in the opening five games. But clearly, there is still so much to come from the youngster.
De Jong lauds Saka ahead of Arsenal tie
He will undoubtedly be hugely excited for Wednesday night’s game against PSV. It has been some time since Arsenal have been in the Champions League. In fact, the previous meeting between the two in the same competition came when Saka was just five years of age.
PSV did win against Mikel Arteta’s side in the Europa League last year. And Luuk de Jong did suggest that they plan to play their own game. However, he noted that they are wary of the quality Arsenal possess, with Saka being picked out as a real threat.
“Maybe we will change some things tactically. You have to watch out against teams like Arsenal as little errors will kill you, they will score goals. Maybe there will be little changes,” he told The Times.
“Arsenal have a lot of quality players. Bukayo Saka is the one player who has so much individual quality to win games, and Martin Odegaard offers something different. They are going to be the toughest games for us but also the nicest.”
It is going to be interesting to see how Saka fares on the Champions League stage. Almost remarkably – given his quality – he is set to make his debut in the competition.
He is clearly good enough to make an impact at that level. He is someone who has shone in international tournaments. And he was so pivotal to Arsenal’s title charge last season.
So it is no surprise that de Jong has picked him out as a player PSV are going to have to keep quiet if they are going to take anything from Wednesday’s tie.
The post 'So much individual quality': PSV star blown away by one Arsenal player ahead of Champions League tie appeared first on The Boot Room.
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