Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is preparing for the 2024 European Championships with England.
The 22-year-old had another outstanding season for Arsenal by scoring 16 goals and supplying nine assists for his team.
Mikel Arteta would have been disappointed with his team missing out on the Premier League title on the last day of the season to Manchester City.
But it was still a progressive season for Arsenal as a whole, and for a player like Bukayo Saka, who has come a long way since he made his club debut in 2018.
When Saka entered the scene as a fresh-faced teenager, he was used as a left-back by his then-manager, Unai Emery, before he moved further up the pitch and the rest is history.
On the international stage, England are in a spot of bother because, whilst they have a plethora of right-backs to pick from, the same can’t be said for the left-back position.
Manchester United’s Luke Shaw is the only natural left-back Gareth Southgate can pick from and he isn’t going to be fit enough to start his side’s opening few games.
It was suggested that, for England’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia on Sunday, Saka should be used at left-back, instead of his usual right-winger spot.
When that was put forward to Jeff Stelling, he labelled the suggestion as ‘bonkers’ and made it clear that it shouldn’t happen, as he told talkSPORT (10/06/24 at 6:20 am).
Bukayo Saka at left-back for England
“One listener has said ‘if I was in charge, I would be playing Saka at left-back until Shaw is fit’,” read out Stelling.
“Thank God, you are not in charge. I mean that is a bonkers suggestion. Everyone has their own ideas and it shows the impossible job Gareth Southgate has got.”
Bukayo Saka’s importance to England
There is a lot of pressure on England to win their first major tournament since 1966 ahead of the big summer showdown in Germany.
The Three Lions were beaten in the final at Euro 2020 and they are now under pressure to get over that line.
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If that is to happen, then Saka has to be at his best, just like he was in the last tournament, because the Arsenal star on song, alongside Champions League winner Jude Bellingham, Manchester City star Phil Foden and captain Harry Kane, is a joy to behold.
England have the players. You just have to question if Southgate has the skill set to deliver the goods.