Mikel Arteta says £70k-a-week Arsenal player can become 'much better'

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has told BT Sport that Bukayo Saka “can become much better” than he already is.

The 21-year-old Gunners star scored the winner in Thursday’s Europa League trip to Bodo/Glimt.

Saka now has three goals in his last two games following his brace against Liverpool at the weekend.

The £70,000-a-week Arsenal winger had endured quite a slow start to the season in terms of goals scored.

Saka scored just once in his first nine appearances, but now he has four in 11 outings.

His efforts have helped Arsenal stay top of their Europa League group and, of course, the Premier League table.

It feels like Saka has been around for ages, testament to how young he was when he burst onto the scene.

But at 21, he is still at the beginning of what looks to be a brilliant career at the top of the game.

And Arteta, speaking to BT Sport – as transcribed by BBC Sport – believes Saka can indeed improve even more.

“Yes, but again he can become much better,” Arteta said when asked whether his player was getting better and better.

“He had moments in the game where he was really good and then moments he can improve and demand more of himself, especially defensively.

“There were moments where we allowed their left full-back to progress the play and break our press too easily. There a lot of things to improve.”

Everything is clicking for Arsenal this season, and Saka remains key to everything good that they do.

If he continues on his current trajectory, then Arsenal have a player on their hands who will be their star for the next decade.

‘He can improve’: Mikel Arteta says £70k-a-week Arsenal player can become ‘much better’