21 February 2024 , 22:32
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Rio Ferdinand has listed the 12 players he considers to be world-class after angering Arsenal fans by claiming Bukayo Saka is not there yet.
Saka has been in great form of late and now has 15 goals and 13 assists in 32 appearances for the Gunners this season. The 22-year-old winger has been the stand-out player for Mikel Arteta's side, but is yet to hit the height of some of his contemporaries, according to Ferdinand.
The former Manchester United defender believes that Saka needs to show his best in the Champions League before he can be considered in that bracket. His point was perhaps proven on Wednesday night as Saka failed to inspire Arsenal as they went down 1-0 to Porto in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Before the game, Ferdinand was asked by TNT Sports to come up with a list of current players he considers the best of the best. They were Manchester City's Ederson, Kyle Walker, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, as well as Liverpool's Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, Real Madrid duo Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, Bayern Munich star Harry Kane and Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe.
Responding to the list, ex-Arsenal defender Martin Keown said: “Well, I think Bellingham is one that I would question. Of course, he’s in amazing form right now with Real Madrid. But we look at Saka – he’s been the England player of the year for the last two years and Bellingham’s not got a look in on that and he’s still on Rio’s list so, I don’t know, maybe Rio’s being a bit mischievous with Arsenal fans.”
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Ferdinand replied: “They’ve actually got that list a little bit wrong, because Bellingham was on the list just below that on his own, edging into there. I think the thing that lets him not be on that list, for me right now, is just time. He will be there – he’s in world-class form. You just need that time – and that’s where I see Saka.
“Saka’s got that world-class potential, he just hasn’t been exposed to the knockout stages of the Champions League – the longevity is the difference. If you look at that list, you can see they’ve played in the top, most prestigious games and they’ve produced in those moments. And they’ve all done ridiculous things over a long period of time.”
Buyako Saka is not world-class, according to Rio Ferdinand (Jose Manuel Alvarez/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! What do you make of Rio Ferdinand's picks? Comment below.
Speaking on his podcast last week, Ferdinand said of Saka: "Not yet. Listen, I think Saka’s been unreal. I actually think he needs a bit of a rest, so many games for a young kid. But I think, it’s almost like what is world-class? He hasn’t done it in the Champions League, has he? I’m talking in the nitty-gritty stages. Saka’s top, don’t get me wrong. He’s not world-class yet."
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