BBC pundit says it is ‘only a matter of time’ before English star gets Arsenal captaincy

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Garth Crooks has told his BBC Sport Team of the Season column that it is “only a matter of time” for Arsenal wonderkid Bukayo Saka to be handed the captain’s armband. The Gunners are yet to make a decision.

Saka, 20, is already considered an Arsenal icon. Having clocked up 107 games already for the Gunners, the England international has laid on 42 goal involvements – scoring 17 and creating 25 more for his boyhood side.

He is the prime example of Arsenal’s impressive Hale End academy – with Emile Smith-Rowe, Joe Willock, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Eddie Nketiah and more coming through. Saka, though, is the best of the lot.

Having sparkled throughout 2021, even at times where Arsenal have struggled under Mikel Arteta, Crooks included him in his TOTY. He believes that Saka could end up replacing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as captain.

“The Arsenal star has been consistently outstanding throughout the year and has easily been the Gunners’ best player,” Crooks said. “He’s still only 20 and sadly too young to take the captain’s armband, but it’s only a matter of time.”

Crooks on Saka: Could Arsenal midfielder get the armband?

Crooks states that he is too young and realistically, he is probably too young to get the honour of the Arsenal armband. But there are certainly worse candidates than the England ace.

Of the starting Arsenal players, Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Martin Odegaard have only just joined. Alexandre Lacazette is out of contract in the summer. Granit Xhaka has had the armband in the past.

Thomas Partey and Gabriel are solid members of the side, but are they leadership material? Kiernan Tierney certainly is, and he is probably the favourite – but if it is not Tierney, Saka surely gets it.