Latest Transfer news
Sir Alex Ferguson sends warning message to Bukayo Saka after his honest Liverpool transfer admission
Sir Alex Ferguson sends warning message to Bukayo Saka after his honest Liverpool transfer admission
At the same age, Bukayo Saka has played more minutes than former Liverpool striker Michael Owen, causing injury concerns.
Bukayo Saka should remember the year 1999 at Elland Road as a moment of significance and caution. At the age of 19, Michael Owen ruptured his hamstring while playing for Liverpool away from home, two years before winning the Ballon d’Or.
Bukayo Saka won the Star man of the match for his outstanding performance. ( Photo by Getty Images)
The former Liverpool striker’s thoughts about how this affected him should reach out to the Arsenal starlet, given the amount of minutes asked of him at the age of 20. Owen says that he was never the same after the ordeal and that he was never the same again.
“I wish it had been a broken leg. The worst injury for me was a snapped hamstring because back then you didn’t operate, you just allowed them to reattach.
“I was running with two hamstring muscles in my right leg and three in my left for the rest of my career. It was a point of weakness,” he said.
“I often wonder if it was just a freak injury. Until then I was solid as a rock, never missed a game.
“Sir Alex Ferguson always says if I’d signed for Manchester United as a kid it wouldn’t have happened, he would’ve protected me.”
The reason this is noteworthy is that, at the same age, Bukayo Saka has spent more time on the pitch than Owen, according to an interesting report on minutes played by Premier League players. In comparison to Owen, Saka has played 9795 minutes in club football.
Of course, today’s diets, nutrition, and surgical recuperation are significantly more advanced. Mikel Arteta, on the other hand, must consider the dangers of overplaying the Hale End graduate.
Saka was Arsenal’s highest scorer last season, and his form has led to him being linked with some of the world’s greatest clubs as the Gunners try to tie him down to a new contract. Arteta did not rotate much, and with European football back on the horizon for next season, the Spaniard will need to be more creative.
Saka’s importance to Arsenal cannot allow him to suffer an injury similar to Owen’s. Sir Alex Ferguson has indirectly issued a warning to Arteta through Owen’s revelation about his own career.
Saka, along with Reiss Nelson, whose future is uncertain, would be the natural orthodox right-winger with little-to-no backup if Nicolas Pepe leaves this summer. Gabriel Martinelli may play on the right, but he hasn’t played much recently.
