Bukayo Saka Mends Relationship with Arsenal Legend Amid Criticism of 'Inconsistent' Performances

Bukayo Saka has reconciled with Arsenal legend Robert Pires following a public disagreement over the young winger's consistency. Saka has confirmed that they are now on good terms and have moved past the issue.

Arsenal icon Pires, who played 284 games for the club between 2000 and 2006, brutally claimed that Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku was a superior footballer.

That comes despite Saka being one of Arsenal’s best and most important players in recent seasons with an impressive tally of both goals and assists.

The Englishman scored 16 times and provided nine assists across 35 Premier League games last season as Arsenal narrowly missed out on the title to City.

Doku, meanwhile, conjured up three goals and 10 assists in 29 top-flight matches for Pep Guardiola’s side in the 2023-24 campaign.

‘Bukayo still lacks a certain level of consistency and experience, especially in the big games,’ Gunners hero Pires said earlier this year.

‘Perhaps this season, especially in the Champions League, he will show a more convincing face than last season when it counts.

Bukayo Saka with Robert Pires, via IG:

“Friends again! 😂” pic.twitter.com/lZsf9tdBU9

‘For example, in my opinion Doku from Manchester City is a bit better because he is technically stronger, has better dribbling skills and is more imaginative.’

Saka and Pires, though, have now made up, with the 23-year-old posting a selfie with the Frenchman on social media on Wednesday.

In an Instagram post, Saka shared a picture of himself with Pires inside the Arsenal dressing room, with both men smiling, alongside the caption: ‘Friends again!’

Saka added a laughing face emoji while one fan commented that ‘we almost cancelled this man (Pires) because of you’.

Saka has been in fine form so far this season and was recently hailed as a ‘gamechanger’ by his manager Mikel Arteta.

He’s scored two times and registered five assists across nine games in all competitions thus far, bagging a goal in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.