Yunus Musah plans to ‘smash’ Bukayo Saka at World Cup

Former Arsenal youngster Yunus Musah has vowed to ‘smash’ England stars Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham at the World Cup.

The New York-born youngster joined the Arsenal academy at the age of nine, spending seven years at the club before joining Valencia in 2019.

The 19-year-old is expected to be part of the USA squad heading to Qatar next month having become a regular under Gennaro Gattuso in Spain this season.

After officially switching to the US team in 2021 after appearance for England at youth level, Musah will come up against the Three Lions in their group stage clash on 25 November where he will line up against former teammates in Saka and Bellingham.

And the midfielder is relishing the prospect of testing himself against some familiar faces.

‘I know some people from the team, [Bukayo] Saka and [Jude] Bellingham, so I am going to have to go toe-to-toe with them in that match and smash them, really, because it’s pride, you know,’ Musah told ESPN.

‘I told some of my friends back home as well that if we win that match, they have to celebrate, in the English pubs and everything they have to celebrate, that would be nice.’

Saka meanwhile has played a key role in Arsenal’s rise to the summit of the Premier League this season having started all but two of Arsenal’s 14 games, virtually ever present in the manager’s Premier League side.

With England’s campaign in Qatar quickly shifting into focus, Saka’s fitness will be closely monitored by fans and Gareth Southgate with the winger picking up a minor knock in the midweek win over PSV Eindhoven.

But Arteta insists he has no qualms over starting Saka every game, insisting top players must become accused to playing ’70 matches a season’.

‘Look at the top players in the world, they play 70 matches, every three days and make the difference and win the game,’ Arteta said.

‘You want to be at the top, you have to be able to do that. And if we start to put something different in the mind of a young player, I think we are making a huge mistake because then [he would] be like ‘no, I don’t play now, on astroturf I don’t play.

‘I don’t want that. I want them to be ruthless every three days. I want them knocking on my door (saying) ‘I want to play, I want to win the game.’

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