Danny Murphy suggests Arteta has picked 21-year-old Arsenal player far too often this season

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Pundit Danny Murphy has admitted that he thinks Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is playing Bukayo Saka far too often.

Murphy was speaking on TalkSPORT yesterday and naming his team of the season.

Three Arsenal players made the cut, with William Saliba and Martin Odegaard lining up alongside Bukayo Saka.

The 21-year-old narrowly edged out Mohamed Salah in his thinking, which is a big achievement.

The Egyptian has consistently been one of the best players in the Premier League for some time.

However, it’s hard to look past Saka considering the season he’s had.

He was the first player to reach ten goals and ten assists this campaign and has barely missed a game in all competitions.

Danny Murphy suggested that he wished Mikel Arteta hadn’t played Saka as often as he did this year.

The last thing Arsenal fans will want is for their most exciting young player to get burnt out at this stage in his career.

Murphy worries Arteta is playing Saka too much

When naming his team of the season, Murphy said: “On the right, I was torn between [Bukayo] Saka and [Mohamed] Salah.

“Salah’s goals this season, he’s got 30 in 50 and 19 or 20 in the Premier League.

“I’ve gone for Saka only because [of] the age he’s done it at. He’s got 15 goals in a side that’s competing for the league and again Saka’s durability, playing week in and week out.

“I’m not sure he should have played in every game, to be honest but that’s a different debate for another day.

“But I’ve gone for Saka just because I think he’s the young player of the year and needs to be in there.

“Salah would be in there in terms of if I was picking a team tomorrow to play in a final.

“But for the whole season and the fact that a young player, 21 years of age, to bring Arsenal forward the way he has I had to go with him.”

Murphy’s worries about Arteta playing Saka too much have also been shared by TalkSPORT colleague Darren Bent.

With Arsenal also preparing to play in the Champions League next season, it’s hard to see when Saka might get a rest.

He’ll be key to both their Premier League and European campaigns going forward.

Arsenal have other priorities in the transfer market, but a backup for Saka also seems like a sensible addition.

It may explain why the club are desperate to extend one man’s contract which expires this summer.