Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says it would be “a positive thing” if winger Bukayo Saka tried to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s career numbers.
England international Saka already has 18 combined goals and assists in as many appearances for the Gunners this season.
The 23-year-old has scored in each of his last three games before facing Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, and is behind only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in goal involvement in the Premier League this season.
When asked if Saka should look to emulate the remarkable statistics of his childhood hero Ronaldo, Arteta said: “Seeing each other is always good. The way Cristiano started his career, and when he joined Manchester United, probably no one expected that in the first seasons I could do that.”
He added: “It was about his mentality, his work ethic, how he developed his skills, his chemistry with his team and playing on a team that has the ability to be dominant.
“That’s very, very important. I think Bukayo has that context and if it points to that, I think it’s a positive thing.”
Ronaldo, who joined Manchester United as an 18-year-old in 2003, has won the Ballon d’Or, awarded to the best player in the world, five times.
The Portuguese star has also won the Champions League five times and is the all-time leading scorer in Europe’s elite club competition.
“In terms of numbers, we always see a change in Bukayo every year,” Arteta said.
“He is contributing something more. He is adding things to his game, he is becoming more and more consistent and his numbers in terms of impact in goals and assists are incredible at this point in the season.
“He can only improve, he can only improve. He has the right players around him to continue doing it and, above all, because he wants more.”
