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Saka went under the knife on Christmas Eve in a bid to recover from a serious hamstring injury as soon as possible
Richard Jolly
Senior Football Correspondent
Monday 09 June 2025 22:30 BST
“I got to spend more time with my family and do more of the little things around the house that I wouldn’t have even paid attention to when I was playing,” he said. “It was nice and I’ve come back with a bit more of a balanced head about football and life. It definitely helped me mentally.”
That greater balance was provided in part by Tucker, the cockapoo Saka got. Being on crutches, however, meant he couldn’t chase around after a puppy; many a defender who has been unable to keep up with a fully-fit Saka may not offer him much sympathy but he saw the funny side of it.
But he also had some time to read. “One of the books I was given by Carlos [Cuesta], on the coaching staff, was called The Power of Now,” he said, citing Eckhart Tolle’s guide to spiritual enlightenment. “It’s a really good book. It’s about not thinking about the past, not thinking about the future. Just being in the moment and always asking yourself what’s necessary right now.”
Those questions could have a pertinence for Saka, who is poised to make a first appearance under Thomas Tuchel when England host Senegal in a friendly in Nottingham on Tuesday. While Arsenal completed a fifth consecutive year without major silverware, three other capital clubs ended the season with trophies, in Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Tottenham. “You want that to be you,” he said. Saka watched the Europa League final. “It’s the way it was, isn’t it?” he asked philosophically.
His comeback with Arsenal brought the seismic win over Real, but no place in the Champions League final, while, for the third consecutive year, they ended up as runners-up in the Premier League. “I was not happy with last season, how it went, how it ended,” Saka said. “But the only thing I can do now is look forward and try and be the best version of myself.”
So it is about the power of now.
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