Bukayo Saka has signed a new five-year deal with Arsenal — and the 24-year-old says he never had any doubt about where his future lay.
In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Amanda Davies at Arsenal’s Sobha Realty Training Centre in London, Saka spoke candidly about his renewed commitment to the club, the lessons of near-misses in the Premier League, and the parents whose sacrifices shaped everything he has become.
For a player of Saka’s profile — one of the most coveted wingers in world football — the question of his future has long loomed over Arsenal. His answer, it turns out, was never really in doubt. “I think on my side it was an easy choice,” he told Davies. “The club is going in the right direction for sure. We have an amazing team and we’re back fighting for every trophy, so no place I’d rather be. To be playing at the highest level, to be playing for Arsenal — this is everything I want.”
Arsenal currently sit top of the Premier League, and Saka believes the squad has the potential to do something genuinely historic. But he’s wary of tunnel vision. Asked directly whether this could finally be the year the Gunners claim the title, he was measured. “It’s counterproductive to focus solely on that,” he said. “You have to do what you can day-to-day because you can’t control the outcome. We’re in control, so we’re just looking forward to that.”
Arsenal have twice come agonisingly close to ending their long Premier League drought, only to fall short in the final weeks of the season. Those experiences leave a mark — but also a lesson. “It’s not a nice thing. No one’s happy to go through them,” Saka admitted. “What you learn is crucial, and you just have to take it into the moment now which we’re in and try and do what we can to not have any miss next time.”
Central to Arsenal’s transformation — and to Saka’s own development — has been head coach Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard took a chance on a teenager from the academy and turned him into one of Europe’s elite attackers. Saka’s gratitude is evident. “He’s been pivotal for me, crucial in my development. I’ve become a much better player under him,” he said. “When people ask me what I want in a coach — it’s him.” As for whether he might one day follow Arteta into management, Saka was unequivocal: “No chance. No. Definitely no. Hard no.”
Saka has increasingly taken on a leadership role at Arsenal, occasionally wearing the captain’s armband — though he doesn’t overthink it. “There are different types of captains — some are more vocal, some lead by example. I’ll just be myself,” he said. “I don’t think too much about it. If you force it, it’s not going to be received well, because people can see if you’re not being yourself.”
The interview also touched on the racist abuse Saka received following England’s penalty shootout defeat in the Euro 2020 final. He was 19 years old. The experience still resonates — but so does what followed. “Love always wins, because for all the hatred and the negativity, the love that I received overcame everything,” he said. “That was a tough moment for me. I was on the floor. But it lifted me up and helped me come back and do what I’ve been doing in recent years.”
Perhaps the most emotional moment came when Davies presented Saka with a letter written by his parents — a surprise he hadn’t anticipated. Reading it aloud, he was visibly moved. His parents had journeyed from Nigeria to build a life in England, and their story remains the bedrock of his identity. “Their journey is inspiring,” he said. “From being in Nigeria to being where we are today as a family — for me the only explanation is God, because it’s not normal. It’s like a one in a million chance for me to stand here today. I wouldn’t be here without them. I don’t feel I’m here alone. I feel they’re right with me, and they always have been — so I’m grateful.”