Arsenal star Bukayo Saka earns England Euro 2020 call-up

Gareth Southgate has called up Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka in his provisional England 2020 European Championship squad ahead of the summer tournament.

Never in doubt, was it? Well, the Three Lions boss has opted against naming his final 26-man squad for Euro 2020, which still leaves plenty of ambiguity as to who will make the final cut. The deadline for the final squads in June 1 and instead of making a firm choice now, more players will have time to prove their fitness.

A number of England stars will be competing in the Europa League and Champions League finals, while Harry Maguire, Jordan Henderson, Kalvin Phillips and Nick Pope are all battling to recover from injury problems in time for England’s first fixture against Croatia on June 13.

Someone with no such injury concerns is Bukayo Saka, who despite playing an astronomical number of minutes this season – only Grant Xhaka racked up more as an outfield player at Arsenal in 2020/21 – is not carrying any knocks coming into the summer. He has had to deal with some fitness concerns, including one that kept him out of the entirety of the most recent international break, an issue that did risk his chances of inclusion.

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka earns England Euro 2020 call-up by Gareth Southgate

However, with the expanded squad being named it comes as no surprise that he has been included. Arsenal’s ‘star boy’, the thought of keeping a gloriously effervescent talent such as Saka out is something Southgate surely couldn’t consider.

What risks his inclusion in the final 26-man team is the wealth of forward talent on show. In attacking areas England are spoiled with outstanding options, while even at left-back the form of players such as Luke Shaw this season also risked pushing him further down the pecking order.

For someone of his versatility and invention though, he can’t be exempt. Saka isn’t likely to start for England and despite the outpouring of Arsenal love for him he isn’t ahead of the other attacking options, yet as someone who can come on and change the outlook of a game from every direction of the pitch, he will be a valuable asset to England.

As for Emile Smith Rowe, he misses out somewhat unfortunately from the 33, but his time will come. Furthermore, the rest will do him the world of good.

Should all go well (touch wood), then England may have their place in the knockouts close to assured come the final group match with Czech Republic in which case Saka can just repeat his performance against Slavia Prague and the Three Lions will waltz to victory.

Whatever minutes Saka may or may not accrue with the national team, his inclusion is just rewards for a remarkable season in north London. How his shoulders haven’t caved in yet beggars belief.