Bukayo Saka 'misses' three Arsenal players Mikel Arteta allowed to leave amid honest admission
Bukayo Saka has admitted he misses Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson. Arsenal offloaded the trio in the summer as Mikel Arteta looked to bolster his squad and mount another Premier League title bid.
Edu welcomed some big names to the Emirates Stadium during the transfer window, tying David Raya down to a long-term contract before signing Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino. Then, on deadline day, the Gunners wrapped up a pair of loan deals for Raheem Sterling and Neto.
Unfortunately, in order to fund such a spree, Arsenal flogged three homegrown players, who had earned their stripes in the academy. Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, Saka was asked how it felt to see his former Hale End teammates leave the Emirates Stadium.
"Yeah, I’m not going to lie, I’ve missed them a bit you know," said the England international. "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."
While Fulham didn't disclose the total fee, football.london understands that the Cottagers paid an initial £27m for Smith Rowe. It's believed that the deal could rise to £34m with add-ons, and a sell-on clause has been included in the Hale End graduate's contract.
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As for Nketiah, football.london understands that the 25-year-old striker was close to joining Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Marseille at various points in the window before heading to Crystal Palace. It's believed that the Eagles forked out £25m, plus an additional £5m in performance-based add-ons, for his signature.
Then, on deadline day, Nelson reunited with Smith-Rowe at Fulham, joining Marco Silva's side on loan until the end of the season. While Sterling's arrival came at the expense of one of 'big brothers', Saka was pleased to welcome the Blues ace to Arsenal.
"We’re happy to have him here," said Saka. "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."