Bukayo Saka has expressed to Gareth Southgate that playing him out of position is not the best strategy for England.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Saka stated, “Putting me out of position at left-back is not the solution for England.”
Despite this, the Arsenal star emphasized that the final decision rests with Southgate.
He remarked, “It’s in Gareth’s hands and we all have to trust what he selects on the day.”
Steve Crossman shared on X, “Exclusive: Bukayo Saka has told @5liveSport that ‘putting me out of position’ at left back is not the solution for England. But ‘it’s in Gareth’s hands and we all have to trust what he selects on the day’. Lovely lad, nice chat with him coming up in coming hours/days on @bbc5live” / X
Saka has been a key player for the Three Lions, starting all three of their matches so far and assisting Jude Bellingham’s goal against Serbia in the opening game.
Although England advanced to the last 16 as group winners, their lackluster performances in the remaining two group games have led to calls for change from fans.
They drew 1-1 with Denmark and had a goalless match against Slovenia.
There has been significant support for Chelsea’s Cole Palmer to start, especially after his impressive performance as a substitute against Slovenia – he replaced Saka in the 71st minute.
The increasing demand for Palmer’s inclusion has led pundits to propose that Saka could shift from his preferred right-wing position to left-back, a role he played earlier in his Arsenal career.
While many fans prefer Southgate to find a way to accommodate both 22-year-olds, rather than bench Saka, the idea of repositioning him has gained traction.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright suggested this switch after Tuesday’s draw, saying, “As great as Saka has done for England in terms of what he creates and his goals and assists, he is a natural left-sided player.
“He started playing for England on the left at youth level, he started at Arsenal on the left. If that’s going to give you the balance and gets you Cole Palmer in the team, it’s something you have to at least look at.
“Kyle Walker can play there [at left-back], it’s the same situation where you have the player coming inside, you have no one going around. He’s a natural left-footer Saka, we could activate the whole left side.”
Fellow pundit Gary Neville supported Wright’s comments, but Saka has made his stance on the matter quite clear.
