Arsenal’s title charge has been handed a massive boost with Bukayo Saka putting pen to paper on a blockbuster new contract but not everyone’s convinced the England man belongs in the absolute elite.
The Gunners winger has committed his future to the club until 2031, pocketing a staggering £300,000 plus per week to become the highest paid player in the Emirates dressing room. It’s a massive statement of intent from the north Londoners as they prepare to face Wolves at Molineux tonight with a chance to go seven points clear at the top.
But while the Arsenal hierarchy were popping champagne corks over securing their crown jewel’s signature, Jamie Carragher has poured cold water on the party by claiming Saka still hasn’t reached the level required to fire this team to silverware.
The former Liverpool defender, now a mainstay in the punditry hotseat, insists Arsenal’s problem isn’t mentality, it’s that they simply don’t have a game changer in attack.
“I made a comment about Arsenal about a month ago,” Carragher told The Overlap. “People talk about their mentality, I actually think Arsenal have a great mentality. But their problem could be a lack of quality in the final third.
“When I watch Arsenal, I don’t think they’ve got an absolute superstar in the front four or five players. I thought Saka and Odegaard was going to get there a couple of years ago. I thought they were ready to almost become the best players in the Premier League. I still don’t think Arsenal have got one of them.”
It’s a damning assessment that’ll raise eyebrows across N5, especially with Saka running riot for much of this season. But Carragher doubled down, suggesting the likes of Mo Salah and Erling Haaland have set a bar that the Hale End product has yet to reach.
Rooney, meanwhile, has turned the spotlight on Arsenal’s own legends, singling out Martin Keown for piling pressure on the current crop with some dodgy maths.
The Manchester United icon reckons Keown and co are getting twitchy and taking the squad down with them.
“I heard Martin Keown on talkSPORT saying having a six point lead is better than nine. What are you talking about?!” Rooney fumed. “That’s an experienced player who’s getting nervous. I actually think Mikel Arteta is handling it brilliantly. It’s other people connected to the club who are actually having more of an effect.”
The good news for Arteta is that Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White have both been passed fit for the trip to Molineux, despite some concerns. Four other first teamers are still sidelined, but the Italian and the Englishman trained today and are in contention to start.
With the title race tighter than a Premier League relegation battle and Arsenal still fighting on all four fronts, every point between now and May is worth its weight in gold.
Next up for the Gunners? Wolves away, then a massive clash with Liverpool that could define their season. If Saka wants to prove Carragher wrong, there’s no better stage.
