Arsenal's English striker Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on January 26, 2021. (Photo by Frank Augstein / POOL / AFP)

Bukayo Saka named on Golden Boy long-list

Jun 15, 2021

After a stellar season, Bukayo Saka has been named on the initial 100-player strong Golden Boy list.

Bukayo Saka of Arsenal in action during Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London - 23 Apr 2021. Copyright: Holly Allison / TPI / Shutterstock — Bukayo Saka of Arsenal in action during Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London – 23 Apr 2021. Copyright: Holly Allison / TPI / Shutterstock

Bukayo Saka has made the Golden Boy long list for the second season in a row after being nominated in 2020, when he made it as far as the final 20.

Among the 100 nominees, Saka joins other Premier League players such as Billy Gilmour, Tino Anjorin and Armando Broja from Chelsea, Mason Greenwood and Amad Diallo from Manchester United, Filip Stevanovic and Adrian Bernabe from Manchester City, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Fabio Silva from Wolves, Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and Leicester City’s Luke Thomas.

Spurs do not have a single player on the list and quite how Emile Smith Rowe has not made the cut, given some of those names above, is anybody’s guess.

Golden Boy 2021 – 100 nominees. pic.twitter.com/iHSu6A17JK

— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) June 15, 2021

Saka made 46 appearances for Arsenal last season, scoring seven and assisting 10 but the Golden Boy award is handed out based on calendar year for so they won’t be judged again until the end of the year.

Last year, the final 20 were announced in October.

Previous Golden Boy Winners

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal celebrates scoring his second and the teams the third goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Group H match between Arsenal and AZ Alkmaar at the Emirates Stadium on November 4, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images) — LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 04: Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal celebrates scoring his second and the teams the third goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Group H match between Arsenal and AZ Alkmaar at the Emirates Stadium on November 4, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images)

2003: Rafael van der Vaart (Ajax)

2004: Wayne Rooney (Everton/Manchester United)

2005: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2006: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)

2007: Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid)

2008: Anderson (Manchester United)

2009: Alex Pato (AC Milan)

2010: Mario Balotelli (Inter Milan/Manchester City)

2011: Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund)

2012: Isco (Malaga)

2013: Paul Pogba (Juventus)

2014: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

2015: Anthony Martial (Monaco/Manchester United)

2016: Renato Sanches (Benfica/Bayern Munich)

2017: Kylian Mbappe (Monaco/Paris Saint-Germain)

2018: Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax)

2019: Joao Felix (Benfica/Atletico Madrid)

2020: Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund