'Next Bukayo Saka' identified by Jack Wilshere

Stuart Telford

• 4 Apr 2023 20:53 BST
• 3 min read

Bukayo Saka has emerged as Arsenal's best player in recent seasons, but there is another where he came from according to the club's under-18s coach, Jack Wilshere.

Saka has fired Arsenal to the top of the Premier League this season with 12 goals and 10 assists, giving him a goal-involvement every 111 minutes he has played.

The Gunners are eight points clear of champions Manchester City with nine games left to play, putting them well on course for a first league title since the 'Invincibles' season under Arsene Wenger in 2004.

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Arsenal have been linked with a number of wingers in recent weeks, from Raphinha to Kaoru Mitoma, despite Saka's form, with Mikel Arteta wanting greater squad depth behind him, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

But there may be no need to go shopping at all if Mikel Arteta heeds Wilshere's advice about Amario Cozier-Duberry.

'Amario reminds me of Saka

"Amario's very exciting and Mikel likes him," he told The Athletic. "He reminds me of Bukayo Saka, plays in the same position as him, needs to get better with his decision-making like Bukayo did, but he's definitely exciting.

"In some moments he's unplayable. You give him the ball and he can make things happen. You can set up a team and have a game plan, but when you've got individuals like that you've got a chance."

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Still just 17, Cozier-Duberry has contributed 10 goals and six assists from 24 appearances in Arsenal's academy teams this season, and could be handed a chance from next season.

Arteta has shown his willingness to blood youth this season, handing Ethan Nwaneri his debut against Brentford in September at 15 years, five months and 29 days of age - making the midfielder the Premier League's youngest ever player.

Wilshere was once Arsenal's youngest debutant, and returned to the club as a coach last year after winding down his career with Bournemouth, West Ham and latterly Aarhus in Denmark.