Bukayo Saka has confessed that he ‘misses’ three of his former Arsenal teammates but is confident they will ‘shine’ in the Premier League this season.
Saka watched as his fellow Hale End academy graduates departed Arsenal over the summer, with Smith Rowe and Nelson transferring to Fulham and Nketiah moving to Crystal Palace.
Although it ‘wasn’t easy to see them go,’ Saka is convinced they have the talent to succeed in the Premier League with two of Arsenal’s London rivals.
Smith Rowe joined Fulham in a club-record £27m deal, having made 80 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, where he started at the age of 10.
Nelson, who played in 24 games for Arsenal last season, joined Smith Rowe at Craven Cottage on a season-long loan.
Nketiah, on the other hand, secured a £30m move to Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day after spending nearly a decade at Arsenal and scoring 38 goals for the club.
When asked how it felt to see his former Hale End team-mates leave Arsenal, Saka said on the Men in Blazers podcast: ‘Yeah, I’m not going to lie, I’ve missed them a bit you know.
‘Since I came into the first-team they were kind of like my big brothers with the way they welcome me and stuff like that.
‘So yeah, it wasn’t easy to see them all go, but at the same time, I’m really happy for them because they’re three top, top players with so much quality and I’m sure they’re going to shine in the Premier League this year.’
Though Saka was saddened to see several close friends depart from Arsenal over the summer, he found encouragement in the arrival of Chelsea and England winger Raheem Sterling.
Sterling signed with the Gunners on a season-long loan after being sidelined by Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca and instructed to leave Stamford Bridge.
‘We’re happy to have him here,’ Saka said. ‘I know the quality he has, I’ve played with him for England and watched him for years.
‘I know Raz really well and hope he can bring his special qualities to the team and help him us win.’
Arsenal, runners-up in the Premier League for the past two seasons, have kicked off the 2024-25 season on a strong note, earning 10 points from their first four matches.
Mikel Arteta’s team will start their Champions League campaign on Thursday night against Atalanta, followed by a weekend clash with Premier League champions Manchester City.
