There are certain players whose rise to the top of the game almost appears seamless, at least to a watching fan who can't see what goes on behind the scenes.
One such star is Arsenal's Bukayo Saka. The winger broke through early on during Mikel Arteta's reign as Gunners boss and has only grown in stature as his side continue to improve.
The England international is on course to break a truly remarkable Arsenal record if selected to face Tottenham in the north London derby this weekend, which is almost guaranteed as long as he maintains his fitness in the days leading up to the match.
What record will Bukayo Saka break against Tottenham?
Presuming Saka starts the hotly-anticipated match against Ange Postecoglou's in-form Tottenham, it will be his 86th consecutive Premier League appearance for the Gunners, more than any other Arsenal player in the competition's history.
Saka is also far and away the longest-running appearance maker of the current crop of Premier League players, with 27-year-old Brentford forward Yoane Wissa set to reach 69 consecutive appearances. Considering Saka is a 22-year-old winger playing for a side with lots of attacking options, it is an incredible achievement.
In a time where footballers are playing a silly amount of football, to have avoided major physical issues like Saka has requires a bit of luck but even more effort and dedication to fitness.
Medical staff at Arsenal have long been impressed with just how seriously Saka takes his fitness and recovery for a young player, putting in the hours at his home gym and taking advice on board readily. He also apparently swears by the benefits of his mother's Nigerian cooking.
"We listen to him when he tells us about an issue," Gary O'Driscoll, the club's recently departed head of medical services, told their website earlier this year. "If he ever comes to us with a minor complaint, we know he means it, so we listen to him because he is one of the most honest people you can find.
"It is a remarkable story. You sit there and look for a problem but, even as a kid, his story was impeccable in that regard. He has never had to come into my office once to review a significant scan."
Bukayo Saka's numbers at Arsenal
Ahead of Sunday's north London derby, Saka has made 184 appearances for Arsenal despite his young age. In that time he has netted 41 goals and also contributed 44 assists as one of the Gunners' most dangerous attacking players.
Saka first started to make appearances in the 2018/19 season but only played four times, getting a total of seven minutes in the Premier League. The following season was totally different and neither he nor Arsenal has looked back.
He made 26 league appearances in 2019/20, and then 32, 38, and 38 again in the following years, also while playing almost every game in various cup competitions.
Saka's Premier League goals have gone up each year too, with 14 his best tally which was achieved last season as Arsenal came close to winning the Premier League.
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This article was originally published on 90min as The Arsenal record Bukayo Saka will beat with appearance in north London derby.
