Ljungberg reveals Saka wasn't happy with the left-back switch

Freddie says he first put Bukayo on the left side of defence for the Academy team, much to the youngster's dismay.

Ljungberg is proud to have always believed in Saka, even though there were people doubting his potential.

"Yeah, he wasn’t happy about that!" Freddie Ljungberg told The Telegraph about using Bukayo Saka as a left-back. "I even did it with the Under-23s.

"I changed the system for an away game for Bukayo to play wing-back and he was not impressed with me. I said ‘but Bukayo, that might actually be where you play’. 

"I was with him early, since he was 15 years old, and there were always people saying ‘oh no, this and that’. Not to take credit, because it was Bukayo who did it, not me. But, for me, it was very clear and there was nothing to talk about.

"He’s so humble, so hungry to learn new things and so, of course, he is a special talent. I’m so happy to see him doing so well."

While it was not Freddie Ljungberg who gave Saka his senior Arsenal debut—Unai Emery did back in 2018—it was the Swede who first used him as a left-back in the Premier League.

It happened last December as the Gunners faced Man City amid injury crisis which saw Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac sidelined.

Saka has kept his place on the left side under Arteta, and has earned 4 England caps as a left wing-back.