Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka has filled in at left-back for the club this season but admits he would prefer to be deployed further forward.
With Kieran Tierney out injured Saka has shone in his absence having been asked to play that position by Mikel Arteta, forging ahead of Sead Kolasinac in the pecking order.
Although he is in a more defensive role, the 18-year-old is still showing his attacking prowess as he added another assist to his haul in the 4-0 romp over Newcastle, with an outrageous piece of skill to nutmeg Valentino Lazaro and then tee up Nicolas Pepe.
No one in the Arsenal squad has more assists than him this season, so it is little surprise he sees his future further up the pitch.
"I'm really enjoying my football under the new manager," he said. "It's not my natural position but he's given me all the advice I need.
"I've got Granit (Xhaka) behind, David (Luiz) supporting and speaking to me so it gives me licence to go and express myself in the final third and do what I can do.
"I feel like my dream was always to be a winger, to affect games, score goals and get assists. For now I'll do the job the manager asks me to."
While he is being asked to play more defensively, the England youth international is at least getting an education which he says will help him when he does return to the wing.
"I learned a lot about how wingers in the Premier League play against defenders and how to position myself because in his system it's different," he added.
"I get to play much higher because the winger comes inside and I get to go.
"There's a lot of space for me and it's good for me. I'm playing sort of as a winger when we have the ball but without the ball I have to come back and work on my clearances, my heading and stuff I haven't worked on my whole life. I feel like I'm doing OK right now."
Saka is out of contract next summer and has revealed he is in talks to extend his stay at the Emirates.
However, he is not getting too involved.
"I just leave all that stuff to my agent and my parents," he said. "I just enjoy my football and play my football.
"Like I said it's for my agent. They're sorting it out. Of course I'm enjoying my football, enjoying playing under the new coach so we'll see what happens."
- TEAMTalk Media
