Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka has expressed his delight after earning his first England senior national team call-up, Completesports.com reports.
Saka was included in England manager Gareth Southgate’s 30-man squad for their UEFA Nations League games against Belgium and Denmark as well as the friendly against Wales in the international break.
Also Read: Akpoguma: I Can’t Wait To Play For Super Eagles
The 19-year-old is one of 12 defenders called up by Southgate for the three games.
He has featured just three times for Arsenal so far this season but broke into the first-team and impressed while playing at full-back for the Gunners last season.
“Honoured and grateful to get my first @england call up ! #Blessings” he wrote on his verified Twitter handle.
Saka scored four goals and provided 12 assists for the Gunners last season and capped the campaign off with an FA Cup winners medal.
He emerged the third best player for Arsenal last season and is in the running for the 2020 Golden Boy award.
By James Agberebi
13 Comments
Nigeria lets be honest we need to start doing things right before we get to attract the best talents. That is all I can say this one wey we miss pain me Sha, upnext to join England is Eze. What a miss
Chima, nigeria will not and will never miss saka.
@Chima, Nigeria will not miss Saka one bit. He is not better than any of our defenders or wingers and he knows it. So let him go whr him go see ball play. SE wings to loaded for saka to break in. As for Eze we dont need him cos he is not better than what we have already. Iwobi, Ejaria and Etebo are by far better than Eze
Brother England will cap tie them and dump them so they can not be useful for Nigeria because they know Naija will be a force if they let them go free. But it is Nigeria’s loss all the same Eze will be a big loss if you really want to be honest because is skillset in unlocking defense is next to nothing. Pls let’s be honest I’m not comparing him to iwobi and co coz I love iwobi like mad….
WHAT WILL BE THE PROFIT OF A PLAYER BEING CALL-UP FOR A QUALIFIER AND NOT REPRESENTING A COUNTRY IN AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION. E.EKOKU & V.MOSES have AFCON GOLD MEDAL PLUS TWO-WORLD CUP APPEARANCE.
I hope you will not regret like FASHNU, EHIOGU, AGBOLAHON
I always had the premonition that the quartet of Bukayo Saka(Arsenal FC),Eberechi Eze(Crystal Palace),Jordon Ibe(Derby County) and Dominic Solanke(AFC Bournemouth) will go the way of Tammy Abraham,Fikayo Tomori,Dele Alli and Ross Barkley in dumping the Super Eagles for the The Three Lions of England. The truth is that their minds are not with Nigeria.The way they have treated our approach left much to be desired and should have alerted our scouting team that something was in the offing.
However,concerted efforts should be made to invite and cap-tie the following players to Nigeria before England poach them and then it becomes too late. It doesn’t matter whether they presently play in the Premier League,the Sky Bet Championship or elsewhere.
1.Chuba Akpom(Middlesbrough FC,England)-Striker
2.Ademola Lookman(Fulham FC,England)-Striker/Winger
3.Tosin Adarabioyo(Liverpool FC,England)-Defender
4.Josh Onomah(Fulham FC,England)-Midfielder
5.Dominic Iorfa Jr.(Shieffeld Wednesday FC,England)-Defender
6.Ovie Ejaria(Reading FC,England)-Midfielder
7.Nathan Tella(Southampton FC,England)-Midfielder/Winger
8.Nnamdi Ofoborh(AFC Bournemouth,England)-Midfielder/Defender
9.Bright Osayi-Samuel(Queens Park Rangers,England)-Striker/Winger
10.Calvin Bassey(Glasgow Rangers,Scotland)-Defender (Left Back)
11.Sheyi Ojo(Cardiff City,Wales)-Winger/Midfielder
12.Sammy Ameobi(Nottingham Forest,England)-Striker/Winger
13.Osaze Urhoghide(Sheffield Wednesday, England)-Defender
14.Moses Odubajo(Sheffield Wednesday, England)-Defender
15.Tom Dele-Bashiru(Watford FC ,England)-Midfielder
16.Fisayo Dele-Bashiru(Sheffield Wednesday, England)-Midfielder
17.Ike Ugbo(Cercle Brugge,Belgium)-Striker
18.Dennis Adeniran(Wycombe Wanderers, England)-Striker
19.Hakeem Odofin(Hamilton Academical,Scotland)-Defender
20.Jubril Okedina(Tottenham Hotspur, England)-Defender
21.Emmanuel Idem(Derby County,England)-Goalkeeper
22.Arthur Okonkwo(Arsenal FC,England)-Goalkeeper
23.Joshua Oluwayemi(Tottenham Hotspur, England)-Goalkeeper
24.Adetayo Edun(Lincoln City,England)
25.Nathaniel Ogbeta(Chelsea FC,England)-Midfielder
26.Faustino Anjorin(Chelsea FC,England)-Midfielder
Something tells me the English football authorities are yet to get over the loss of Victor Moses,Alex Iwobi,Ola Aina etc to Nigeria and the gaffer,Gareth Southgate ,has been in the forefront of recruiting Nigeria,-born players who have gone through the English development system for the Three Lions. At Bukayo Saka’s age,he is being fast -tracked to the Three Lions the same way Didier Deschamps recently cap-tied Eduardo Camavinga who has both Angolan and DR Congo’s origins to France.
We can’t risk capping this players you mentioned in competitive matches to the detriment of our national team besides it would be embarrassing and seen as desperate if we choose to toe that line.
I think the senior national team is for the best legs possible,so we should invite the best at all times which includes foreign born who are willing and passionate about playing for Nigeria.
Nigeria is huge and produces many talented players.So its a case of win some and lose some.Today we lose Saka we wish well,tomorrow could be us smiling to another great talent as Saka committing or pledging his allegiance to Nigeria.
We should never regret losing him to England. We have enough to do well already. Even if he chose Nigeria it won’t be a straight walk into the first team. So let us not lose any sleep over him. He is the one who should be worried because England will only dump him later.
Im indifferent with this. Super Eagles always swapping players in and out, see a lot of players with one or two cap, they are never consistent with the players they have, but also England, now France and etc. They end up going for mixed/biracial Africans like dessers which I know people never seen him play. The pride of Africans that they want every mixed African to play for them, especially Nigerians. Josh Maja and Peter Olayinka got one cap dropped for dessers. Saka probably got a call up for Nigeria but he probably prefer England. Super eagles ain’t gonna improve especially next world cup, lets be real. They gonna shaku shaku till they get it right
Guys it’s not bye bye yet to SAKA, God is giving him a second chance to retrace his steps towards Nigeria…….he has just cupped a Hamstring injury now and substituted on 85′ of the match. This might possibly rule him out for this coming International break matches thereby delaying his Lion’s debut
Haha nah..This lad’s mind is made up he is committed to England.We should move on from him and focus on those willing to play for Nigeria.
Don’t blame these youngstars. Nigeria as a country does not have a good image and lacks respect from other countries. I also understand that other FAs take good care of their players even after retirement. If Bubu is given a chance to choose our first 11.he s going to pick only fulani boys. We appear to be making headway in football bc Rohr picks on merit. There s really nothing to cry about in these things. No star ll want to pick Nigeria ahead of any other serious country. We need to face the real truth
Goodnews guys Fifa just change kelvin akpoguma nationality to Nigeria.. Find link below https://www.fifaindex.com/player/211856/kevin-akpoguma/