Mikel Arteta has now officially confirmed that Bukayo Saka is part of the Arsenal leadership group.

Bukayo Saka wore the captain’s armband for the first time for Arsenal against Chelsea on Saturday, donning it after Martin Odegaard was withdrawn from the action.

After the match, Saka took to Instagram to state what an “honour” it was for him to captain the Gunners.

It is unsurprising that this meant so much to the 22-year-old winger. After all, he has been on the books at the north London club since he was seven-years-old. Saka is now an established fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium and one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted lieutenants.

The Hale End academy graduate is a talismanic figure at Arsenal. The young star was destined to captain the club at some point, and it is surely something we will see him do again soon.

In his press conference after the Chelsea match, shared by Hayters TV, Arteta was asked if Saka is now officially part of the leadership group, to which he simply said “yes.”

As quoted by the club’s official website, Arteta expanded on his reason for giving young players leadership roles, saying, “I think it is really important for them because the role that they have in our way of playing, in our team and in our club has to be mirrored with the leadership level that they should have around the team to make it grow.”

Bukayo Saka part of a new generation of Arsenal leaders

It is safe to assume, beyond club captain Odegaard, that Declan Rice is also now part of the leadership group. Arteta certainly believes that the 24-year-old could one day captain the club, too.

Arsenal lost a number of experienced players and leaders in the summer, with Granit Xhaka, Kieran Tierney, and Rob Holding all leaving the club. Arteta needs players to step up and take on more responsibility the wake of these departures.

Despite his youth, Saka looks ready to shoulder this burden. He is a special player, and special players can handle the spotlight. The 30-cap England international has the capacity to make himself a legend at the club. The captain’s armband certainly looked good on him.

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