Everton ace Alex Iwobi has spoken out about what caught his interest about Bukayo Saka’s personality when the youngster came through the ranks at Arsenal.
In an interview on TBG Podcast, Iwobi shared how Saka earned the respect of senior players despite his young age and how his humble personality set him apart from other Arsenal youngsters.
“When he first came up to train [in the] first team [he] never complained. All the players gave him that respect because he was doing his thing in training,” said Iwobi.
He also acknowledged that some players might get offended when a young player dribbles past them, but Saka’s talent and work ethic earned him the respect of his teammates.
Iwobi added: “I know some players will get a bit offended because it’s like a young man dribbling past.
“The thing is, a lot of Arsenal youngsters are cold and he was raw then. So that left foot just jinky mi jinky go past a few, man.
“Now he’s doing it on a consistent basis. We’ve seen it. I’ve seen it anyway.”
Iwobi believes Saka’s success can be attributed to his humble personality and willingness to learn and improve.
“Not only is he a great player, he’s humble as well,” said Iwobi. “Like he was eager to learn, he listens [and] doesn’t argue back. For example, he treats the dinner ladies the same way he’ll treat us, man.”
Saka made his senior team debut for Arsenal in 2018 and has since become the club’s talisman, making 170 appearances, scoring 36 goals, and adding 39 assists.
Iwobi and Saka both emerged through Arsenal’s academy, and it is clear that the two have a great deal of respect for each other. Iwobi’s comments are a testament to Saka’s talent, work ethic, and humble personality, and it is clear that he has made a lasting impression on his former teammates.
