Arsenal midfielder Jorginho thinks Gunners team-mate Bukayo Saka can win the Ballon d’Or as long as he “believes in himself”.
Saka has become one of the best attackers in the Premier League since breaking into the Arsenal first team in the 2018/19 campaign with four appearances in all competitions.
The England international quickly became a mainstay in the team and is now one of the first names on the teamsheet as Arsenal battle for the Premier League title.
After a four-game winless run in the Premier League, Arsenal have bounced back with two wins against Nottingham Forest and West Ham to move into second position, although they are still nine points behind leaders Liverpool.
Saka has once again been influential with five goals and ten assists in 12 Premier League matches this season, while he has produced two goals and an assist in their Champions League campaign so far.
Asked for his views on Saka on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, Jorginho said of his Arsenal team-mate: “Unbelievable… world class. I said to him, ‘I want to see you win the Ballon d’Or’.”
When pushed on whether Saka is actually capable of winning the Ballon d’Or, Jorginho replied: “I believe so. I believe in him… yeah. I hope he believes in himself as well.”
Jorginho continued: “For me now, the thing he needs to go more now, it’s his hunger to get in the box when he’s on the weak side….
“Yeah, I want to see headers from him, cross you from the left side.”
When put to him that Saka could get another six or seven goals this season, Jorginho added: “Easy. Easy with that. Easy.
“Let’s see how far he can get, you know? And for me, it’s the little thing that he’s missing because sometimes the ball’s on the other side and I can see it’s coming.
“I was like, get in there. And it’s not there. I’m like, no, man.”
MORE ARSENAL COVERAGE FROM F365…
👉Premier League winners and losers: Liverpool, Guardiola, Kluivert, Newcastle, Amorim, Martinez, Saka…
👉 ‘I’d be shocked’ – Merson makes Arsenal vs Man Utd prediction as Amorim faces first big test
👉 Mailbox: Manchester City ‘worried’ about 115 charge ‘catastrophe’ and Liverpool agree Arsenal are rubbish
Jorginho has revealed an unflattering nickname that the rest of the Arsenal squad have come up with for Saka with the Brazilian explaining the origin.
The Arsenal midfielder explained: “So basically in Brazil, we have this joke and we make this nickname, yes? Brazil, pé, it means feet, foot, yeah? And pesudo, it means big foot.
“So when it’s like bad technique or control or something like that, so we start calling him like, oh, pesudo. Yeah, he’s going mad.
“But it’s a joke because he’s completely the opposite, isn’t he?
“He’s just an unbelievable player who is becoming like a machine for us and I hope he becomes like for England as well, you know, because his talent and his hunger and his quality is just so high.
“And on top of that, the person he is, he just deserves like the world for him, like everything. I’m there cheering for him, honestly.”
READ NEXT: Big Midweek: Arsenal v Man Utd, Man City, Eddie Howe, Ollie Watkins