What makes a great player?
Is it pure material production or are it the immaterial traits that help take a team to the next level?
Fortunately for Arsenal and Manchester City, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden have both components in their game.
The couple have gone from young talents to true stars and are both key players for their respective clubs.
However, their similar age, position and career mean that they are periodically compared.
Bukayo Saka: Arsenal’s star boy
Saka is a gunner through and through.
He joined Arsenal’s Hale End academy when he was seven and made his debut for the club in the Europa League group stage in 2018.
Now just 22 years old, Saka has made over 150 appearances for the club and has racked up over 100 goals in all competitions.
Although he has improved each season, he has made a notable leap this campaign, as he has scored 16 goals and gotten 15 assists.
This puts him a step above the rest of his teammates in terms of performance: Leandro Trossard is next with 10 goals, while Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard have seven assists.
Arsenal fans have dubbed him the club’s ‘star boy’, and rightly so.
Although he was initially deployed as a full-back, Saka has made the right wing position his own.
He has now established himself as not only one of the best wingers in the Premier League, but also one of the best in the world.
Saka’s speed, skill and intelligence make him a nightmare for defenders, while his personality and work ethic make him loved by his teammates and fans alike.
Phil Foden: Manchester’s own
A summary of Foden’s importance to City could be seen in the recent Manchester Derby.
Losing 1-0 to rivals Manchester United, the 23-year-old took a big step forward, bagging a brace and leading his boyhood club to a thrilling victory.
His first goal, in particular, demonstrated his pure talent.
City manager Pep Guardiola has called Foden “the most talented player I have seen in my coaching career”, a serious complement to a top manager.
Foden, like Saka, is a product of the academy. He joined City, the club he supported as a child, when he was four years old.
His debut came in 2017 in a Champions League group stage match, becoming the fourth-youngest English player to appear in the competition.
He has now made 257 appearances for the Citizens in all competitions, scoring 78 goals and collecting 51 assists.
This season in particular he has taken a step forward in the absence of Kevin de Bruyne due to injury.
While not a direct replacement for KDB, Foden has been deployed on the wing, as a number 10 and as a false 9.
His ability to create opportunities on the turn and break through defensive lines makes him a constant threat.
At a club that is often criticized for its lack of history and a “plastic” fan base, a Stockport lad is exactly what they need as a young star.
Saka vs. Foden: statistics and comparison 2023/24
All data via transfermarkt.es. Reflective of the 2023/24 season, as of March 6, 2024.
first pision
| statistics | Saka | Foden |
| Applications. | 26 | 27 |
| Goals | 13 | eleven |
| Assists | 10 | 7 |
| Minutes. per goal | 168 | 202 |
| Yellow/red cards | 3/0 | 1/0 |
Champions League
| statistics | Saka | Foden |
| Applications. | 6 | 6 |
| Goals | 3 | 4 |
| Assists | 4 | 3 |
| Minutes. per goal | 142 | 119 |
| Yellow/red cards | 0/0 | 0/0 |
All competitions
| statistics | Saka | Foden |
| Applications. | 35 | 40 |
| Goals | sixteen | 18 |
| Assists | fifteen | 10 |
| Minutes. per goal | 176 | 175 |
| Yellow/red cards | 3/0 | 1/0 |
Saka against Foden: Who will start for England in the Euro Cup?
Looking at key stats alone, you can hardly separate the pair.
Foden at number 10 and Saka on the right wing sounds like an ideal solution, but Jude Bellingham’s impressive form at Real Madrid will almost certainly see him take the starting role in the middle of the park.
Alternatively, Foden’s versatility could see him start on the left wing, despite it being the preferred position of Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford.
It’s difficult to see Saka playing anywhere other than right wing, so could Foden’s flexibility be the reason he is not part of the starting XI and is instead used as a versatile substitute?
What cannot be overlooked, however, is Foden’s history of winning titles with City.
Multiple Premier League titles, a couple of FA Cups, a Champions League triumph… he knows how to win and has experience in a world-class system.
Meanwhile, Saka continues to improve and is becoming a goal-scoring machine for Arsenal.
Is he the best option for England as an outright right winger?
Ultimately, there is no right answer in this selection debate.
However, it is a very nice problem for Gareth Southgate.
