"Absolutely magnificent" - Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink snubs Erling Haaland as he names Arsenal star as his player of the season
Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has snubbed Manchester City frontman Erling Haaland by naming Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka as his player of the season.
The young English forward is wreaking havoc on the right side of the Gunners' attack. He has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 26 appearances across competitions.
Meanwhile, Haaland has been a revelation since joining Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund last summer for £54 million. The Norweigan striker has scored an astounding 31 goals in 26 games across competitions. He has already scored 25 league goals in 19 games, more than Golden Boot winners Mohamed Salah and Son Heung Min's tally of 24 in the entirety last season.
However, some feel that City have regressed with Haaland in their team, as they're now playing a different way. Hasselbaink reckons Saka's performances deserve more merit as he continues to help Arsenal surge to their first league title since 2004. He told SafeBettingSites:
“Everybody is going to say Erling Haaland because of his 25 goals and rightly, so but I would throw Bukayo Saka in there."
Hasselbaink continued by touching on Saka's performance in the Gunners' 3-2 win over Manchester United on Sunday (January 22). The winger scored a sensational goal in the victory. He said:
"He was absolutely magnificent against Man Utd, and if you look at how mature his performance was against France in the World Cup too, he showed me that he is at the top level. I’ve been impressed with Luke Shaw recently, but Saka made him look ordinary on Sunday.”
What a WIN! 🔴
We never stopped believing. Thank your for the support Gunners, the energy was unreal. We keep going! https://t.co/TR1jFsQw3c
West Ham United captain Declan Rice agrees to join Arsenal, as per El Nacional
West Ham midfielder Rice continues to be linked with a move next summer, with some of Europe's top sides interested. Real Madrid are a noted suitor, but El Nacional reports that Rice has told the Spanish club that he does not want to join them and instead wants to join Arsenal.
Rice has turned down three contract offers from the Hammers to extend his stay in east London. He has his sights set on joining Mikel Arteta's impressive revolution at the Emirates.
"Arsenal are leading the race for Declan Rice's signature." ✍️
Will #WHUFC lose their captain this summer? 🌟 https://t.co/IwBQ3DOn2s
The Hammers captain has featured 26 times across competitions, scoring one goal and providing six assists. His contract expires in 2024, so David Moyes' side will need to make a decision.
They may look to cash in on their protagonist next summer. Last year, the West Ham boss said that they would look for £150 million (per The Athletic), but as time progresses, that amount may drop.