Bukayo Saka opens up on relationship with Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry: ‘He’s always there for me’

It’s a sight that’s delightfully common when watching Bukayo Saka. The winger, still only 23 years old,  goes flying down the right, brings a fast-moving ball under his spell with one touch, sends a veteran defender who ought to have known better flying to the deck — because what else could he do but panic? — and picks his spot with power and precision, a prototypical Sake goal, and one that can’t help but make you think of the legendary Thierry Henry. That is a name that has to be deployed advisably in North London. Arsenal haven’t had a player like the Frenchman since he left in in 2007. They might never have another.

Saka would be the first to argue against any comparisons with Henry. The trophies aren’t there yet. There may have been moments for the youngster from Ealing, but few quite like what he will set out to replicate on Wednesday at the San Siro, scene of one of Henry’s legend-defining moments. Two decades on from a legendary 5-1 win there, though, the parallels are getting harder to ignore. 

That night, expectations weighed heavily on the Gunners but results had not gone their way. For Arsene Wenger’s soon to be Invincibles, the struggles were in Europe, where they had ground to make up after one point in their first three group stage matches. Mikel Arteta is under no such pressure on the European stage come Wednesday night, but with two defeats from three Premier League games, a big night is needed. His brightest stars will have to shine as they haven’t before.

Saka knows how far he has to go before his achievements measure up to Arsenal’s greatest ever player, a man who might not have won a Ballon d’Or, but was Europe’s most feared forward for a generation. He is, however, determined to learn, to embue his game with some Henrician flashes.

“The main thing I learned from him is the confidence,” Saka tells CBS Sports. “When you see the way he plays, the fear he strikes into defenders is already enough. I tried to take that from him. I’ve tried to play with more confidence, that belief that you’re almost unplayable.”

As Andrew Robertson can attest, that belief is flowing through Saka. A brilliant opener against Liverpool, just nine minutes into his return from injury, was as compelling a piece of evidence for superstardom as Arsenal’s star man down the right has yet delivered. And this already has the feeling of the year that Saka propels himself into the highest echelon of the global game. Through 12 games in all competitions so far this season, Saka has four goals and seven assists, all of the latter coming in the Premier League. He is providing for others at a rate that could allow him to match Henry’s record, jointly held with Kevin De Bruyne, of 20 assists in a Premier League campaign.

It isn’t just output and stardom that links these two. Anyone who saw Arsenal’s No.7 join CBS’ Champions League Tonight after his starring role in his side’s 2-0 Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain will have a sense of the bond between Saka and Henry. This isn’t just Arsenal’s past and Arsenal’s present sharing a few platitudes with each other, there’s a family connection to these two. Sometimes, very infrequently, but sometimes, the YouTube comments say it best. “Imagine growing up and having Henry as your idol and growing up to score in the champions league for your child hood club and have Titi asking when your coming over for tea.”

As Saka notes, Henry had been guiding his career long before he became the darling of Emirates Stadium. “The first interaction we had was when I was in the academy. From 14-15, he came and was doing his coaching badges. Obviously we all knew about him and even though he’d retired he still had the same quality. We did finishing with him, he was better than all of us!

“Since then, he’s reached out to me and he’s always there for me. Whatever I need to say to him, whatever he wants to say to me, I’m open. In difficult moments he’s always open. He says ‘I’m always free if you want to speak to me’. There are times when I can call him and get good advice.

“He’s done what I want to achieve, winning titles with Arsenal. I’m really grateful to have that relationship with him. He’s a top guy.”

Both have to grapple with stardom on and off the pitch. Such are the requirements of being the face of one of England’s biggest teams. Suddenly top brands decide they’d like some of your reflected glow. It never seemed to rob Henry of his ‘va va voom’. Another lesson for Saka to take on board.

“He’s just so focused on football,” he says. “It’s similar to me. We try not to think about the other things. 

“When we were growing up, I aspired to be a footballer. I aspired to be a great player at Arsenal. The rest of it, off the pitch, it wasn’t part of the dream. Of course when you’re here it comes with it but I’m just keeping that focus, having football as the main priority, and staying grounded.”