Bukayo Saka's conversations with dad on Arsenal future and decision he made

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has opened up on the conversations with his father that shaped his career, as he decided to persist with making the grade with the Gunners

Bukayo Saka has opened up about the discussions he held with his father regarding Arsenal and his footballing future. The winger has been with the north London outfit since the tender age of seven, and nearly two decades later, he has arguably become the club's most influential figure.

The 24-year-old earned his promotion to the first team back in 2018 and swiftly cemented his position as a crucial player under Unai Emery. Mikel Arteta has subsequently elevated him to new heights both on the field and away from it, with Saka evidently forming part of his leadership circle.

As one of the more experienced players within Arteta's group, Saka almost certainly confronts numerous significant choices on a regular basis. Predictably, before his arrival at Arsenal, the major decisions weren't his to make, with Saka disclosing what his father made abundantly clear regarding where he would be plying his trade as a youngster.

Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: "Yeah [it was always Arsenal]. Well at that point of my career, the decisions were more made by your parents. You're just a kid, you don't really, do you know what I'm saying? My dad made it clear to me 'Arsenal is the club I want you at', and I said: 'OK, let's go.'

"He believed in Arsenal, believed in the pathway, and it was visible. You could see players, and obviously Arsene Wenger at the time - how much he believed in the academy, how much he wanted to use the academy.

"Also the class that Arsenal have and the football that they play. So all of that was just perfect for him and he just wanted me to be here."

Having been raised in north London, it's evident Saka is brimming with gratitude that he can represent his childhood club on the grandest of stages.

"It's just a dream come true," he said. "Obviously growing up, going to the stadium and watching Arsenal play in so many different games and to now being the one on the pitch and all the people watching you and all the stuff that comes with it. Family that used to talk about Arsenal... and now it's you.

"There's so many different aspects of it that makes it so beautiful and I'm just enjoying every moment still."

Saka will surely be hoping to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium, with a new contract expected to be finalised imminently. Arteta was questioned about this matter and Saka during his press conference ahead of the North London Derby against Tottenham.

He said: "Well, what I'm very aware of is that he wants to continue with us, that he's very happy and that he's in the place that he wants to continue to be and achieve everything that we want to achieve together. And then when that happens and how it happens, I leave that to Andrea [Berta] and the club to figure it out."

For Saka, whose current deal runs until 2027, his current priority will be the forthcoming Spurs encounter, having registered six goal contributions across his 10 outings against Arsenal's fierce adversaries.