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Bukayo Saka is a hero to Arsenal fans and academy players alike, having risen through the ranks at Hale End to become one of their own.
Now a global superstar, Saka is also an important leader at the Emirates.
His journey from the academy to the first team gives him a unique understanding of what it takes to make it at the club, making him an ideal role model for young players in the academy.
One promising talent currently coming through the ranks is Samuel Onyekachukwu, who recently had the opportunity to train with the Arsenal first team.
Initially, the experience of being around global stars left him feeling shy and star-struck, but Saka helped him feel more at ease with a kind gesture.
He was speaking about his time training with the senior team, he said, as quoted by Express Sports:
“There was this funny moment when I was in the ice bath and Saka walked in.
“He joked that I needed to get my whole body in, and we ended up doing the ice bath together for about 10 minutes. He told me how he used to be nervous and shy when he first arrived, but he encouraged me to be confident and believe in myself, which meant a lot to me.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Saka is one of the best role models every player in our academy needs as they start their journey towards becoming world-class players and regulars at the senior level.
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Big development after sourced story claims club will now match Chelsea’s asking price for player
Exclusive: Liverpool set for ‘final talks’ with £35m beast as two European giants wait to pounce
Report: Chelsea ace wants out, is disappointed with how club deal with players
Carney Chukwuemeka has hinted he’s disappointed with how Chelsea treat players and no longer wants to play for the club according to reports. Chukwuemeka spent the second half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, and is keen to return to the Bundesliga outfit this summer. Chelsea would prefer a permanent sale, and have reportedly dropped their asking price for Chukwuemeka down to €25m. Chukwuemeka disappointed with how Chelsea treat players Chelsea have done good business this summer both in terms of outgoings and incomings, but there’s still work to do. The Blues have a number of players they still need to find new clubs for, with Chukwuemeka falling into that category. The midfielder joined Chelsea from Aston Villa in 2022 in a deal worth £20m, but injuries limited him to just 32 appearances for the Blues. Chukwuemeka scored one goal in 17 appearances on loan at Dortmund, and manager Robert Kovac has said how he’s a fan of the Englishman. Leipzig have shown interest, whilst Napoli could offer Chukwuemeka a way out of Stamford Bridge, and Sport Bild have reported he’s hinted he’s disappointed with Chelsea’s approach to players, and doesn’t want to play for the club anymore. The report adds Dortmund want a loan with an option to buy, with Chukwuemeka determined to extend his stay at the club. Chelsea still have plenty of sales to make Whilst the Blues have managed to make progress with player sales, there are still a number of players they need to find solutions. Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are all likely to leave the club before the end of the window. However, the problem the Blues may encounter is teams will wait until late in the window knowing Chelsea want to sell, and will look to get themselves a discounted deal.
Commanders have major hang-up preventing them from paying Terry McLaurin what he's due
It’s been two weeks since Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin publicly revealed his trade request, and a resolution doesn’t appear to be in sight. Thanks to ESPN’s John Keim, we’re starting to get more insight into how the Commanders are approaching negotiations…and how they run counter to their star wide receiver’s financial desires. As we’ve assumed all along, the Commanders are wary of giving McLaurin a lucrative contract that would extend well into the player’s 30s. As Keim notes, the Commanders “rely heavily on analytics,” and those numbers aren’t particularly kind to receivers on the wrong side of 30. They may be onto something. Per ESPN Research, over the past five years, only three receivers 31 years or older have played at least 10 games and averaged 70-plus receiving yards per game (that number jumps to six players if you adjust for 60-plus receiving yards). Further, the team can simply point to the NFL landscape, as other teams are also clearly wary of paying aging wideouts. Among the 24 active wide receivers who are attached to the most guaranteed money, only Tyreek Hill was older than 30 when the deal was signed. McLaurin has continually pointed to his lack of mileage despite his age; he barely played during his first two years at Ohio State, meaning he may not have the same wear and tear as similar players his age. McLaurin is also naturally pointing to the stat sheet, as the receiver has continually produced despite uncertain QB play, uncertain ownership and a handful of different coaching staffs. Per Keim, the Commanders don’t want to pay McLaurin based on his past performance, with the front office preferring to shape any future contracts based on his projections for age-31-plus seasons. The organization also doesn’t want to set a new precedent by paying McLaurin, as it could convince future veterans to push for lucrative deals in their 30s. While McLaurin has taken the drastic measure of requesting a trade out of Washington, the organization is still convinced they have leverage in this showdown. After all, the player is still under contract for the 2025 campaign, meaning McLaurin will have to forfeit game checks if he sits out games. The team could even choose to slap him with the franchise tag next offseason (which could come in north of $30M), meaning they’re in full control of the player’s fate moving forward. The team is also skeptical that another suitor is going to willingly pay McLaurin the type of money he’s seeking. Per Keim, there are doubts around the league about whether another team would be willing to meet the receiver’s demands. Even if a clear suitor does emerge, Keim makes it clear that Washington’s front office won’t give the star away without receiving a haul. We heard recently that McLaurin wasn’t necessarily seeking a deal that matched fellow 2019 draftee D.K. Metcalf‘s deal with the Steelers. However, Keim says Metcalf’s contract has generally served as a guide for McLaurin, but it’s uncertain whether the Commanders wideout is looking to match the AAV ($33M) or total guarantees ($60M). Ultimately, one source believes the Commanders may agree to pay McLaurin a contract that will pay $28M per year. Of course, it’s uncertain if the player would even accept that offer. If that hypothetical maximum offer doesn’t end in a signing, a divorce may be the logical next step.
Yankees Announce Paul Goldschmidt News After Loss to Twins
The New York Yankees won their first series of August in a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins from Monday to Wednesday, but they're still in trouble. They're only one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final AL Wild Card spot with six weeks left in the regular season. The Yankees beat the Twins 6-2 on Monday and 9-1 on Tuesday before losing 4-1 on Wednesday, but Tuesday's victory came at a price. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt left early and didn't play on Wednesday, a night in which New York especially needed his bat. The Yankees released an update on Goldschmidt after Wednesday night's game, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. The 37-year-old has a low-grade knee sprain with inflammation. He's slashing .276/.331/.422 with 10 homers and 40 RBI over 112 games. Fellow first baseman Ben Rice went 1-for-4 in Goldshmidt's stead on Wednesday. The 26-year-old is slashing .233/.326/.456 with 17 homers and 38 RBI over 101 contests. Paul Goldschmidt comments on injury Goldschmidt said that he hopes he can avoid the IL with a "short-term" absence, via Hoch. While Rice is a high-upside player in his second year, the seven-time All-Star is still a more dependable contact hitter at this point. Goldschmidt is third on the squad with 110 hits, although his younger counterpart's OPS is 30 points higher. The Yankees need the veteran back as soon as possible to help them maintain their Wild Card spot. His presence allows Rice to play catcher, which is optimal given Austin Wells's struggles. The 26-year-old is slashing just .206/.264/.408 with 15 homers and 56 RBI over 94 games. Up next for New York is a road series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Goldschmidt's former team.
Former Oregon WR's career may have new life after transfer decision
Ryan Pellum's career with the Oregon Ducks was over before it even started, but it may have new life. The former four-star wideout from Long Beach, California, was ranked as the No. 26 wide receiver in the 2024 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Pellum took a redshirt last season at Oregon before hitting the transfer portal in January. He was then arrested and charged with assault with use of a firearm after he allegedly pistol-whipped someone in his hometown on Christmas Day in 2024. In June, Pellum was sentenced to probation as part of a plea deal, and now he's trying to get his college football hopes back on track. As such, it's being reported that Pellum will transfer to Delaware State for the 2025 season. Notably, he'll be joining up with former NFL star and three-time Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson, who is heading into his first season as the Hornets' head coach. As a senior in high school, Pellum caught 66 passes for 991 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was at one time committed to USC, but he flipped to Dan Lanning and the Ducks on signing day. Delaware State, located in Dover, Delaware, is an FCS program that is a part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Hornets went 2-21 over the past two seasons under head coach Lee Hull, who was fired less than two years after he took over the program.
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