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Arsenal legend Tony Adams has heaped praise on Bukayo Saka, claiming that only Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)’s Lionel Messi is better than him at the moment.
Saka, 21, has fired on all cylinders for Arsenal this season. The Englishman has pitched in with 12 goals and 10 assists in 28 Premier League appearances, helping the Gunners open up an eight-point lead at the top of the table. Saka has been the only Premier League player this season to reach double digits in both goals and assists.
Adams, who spent his entire life in north London, believes that Saka is second only to PSG superstar Lionel Messi when it comes to proficiency in both goalscoring and playmaking. In his column for The Sun, he wrote:
“I’m sure they’ll give Bukayo that hefty new contract to keep him at the Emirates because they know he is irreplaceable.
“If there’s a better player in world football at the moment, someone who both scores and makes goals, the only one I can think of is Lionel Messi.”
Adams added:
“Bukayo is absolutely on fire and the reason Arsenal are top of the table.”
Adams admitted that he was amazed that Arsenal still managed to hang on to the player, even in the presence of uber-rich football clubs such as Manchester City. He urged his club to extend Saka’s stay beyond June 2024 as soon as possible to allay fears of a heartbreaking exit.
The four-time English champion wrote:
“When Manchester City paid £100 million to sign Jack Grealish 18 months ago, I couldn’t believe that they didn’t even try to buy Bukayo Saka. Even now I’m gobsmacked that Arsenal have been able to hang on to a kid who is already one of the best talents in the world.
“Hopefully, they will soon get Bukayo tied down to a lengthy new contract, so I can stop worrying.”
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have already reached an agreement with Saka over a new contract. The announcement is expected to drop sooner rather than later.
PSG’s Lionel Messi joins exclusive club after scoring hattrick in Argentina’s win over Curacao
Lionel Messi was named in the starting XI when Argentina took on Curacao in a friendly clash at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades on Tuesday night (March 28). The PSG maestro scored a superb hattrick to propel La Albiceleste to a comfortable 7-0 victory in front of their fans.
Lionel Messi scored the first goal with his weaker right foot in the 20th minute. It marked the 100th international goal of the legendary forward's career. The PSG No. 30 has become only the third player in men’s football history to score 100 international goals. Cristiano Ronaldo (122 goals in 198 games) and Ali Daei (109 goals in 149 matches) are the other two members of the uber-exclusive club.
Thirteen minutes later, he produced a sublime left-footed finish from inside the box to double his money. Finally, in the 36th minute, Lionel Messi completed his hat-trick from a counter-attack. He has now scored 102 goals and claimed 56 assists in 174 appearances for Argentina.
