Bukayo Saka has been one of Arsenal’s biggest revelations in the last decade. Just this season, the 24-year-old English winger has worn the Gunners’ armband over ten times and marked his 300th appearance for the club with a goal that secured maximum points against Brighton & Hove Albion and sent them seven points clear on the English Premier League (EPL) summit. Off the pitch, however, he also caught attention a few days ago during a sit-down with Nigerian Grammy award-winning musician and producer Tems, where his comment about the iconic Celine Dion quickly became a talking point.

Starring in the first episode of Arsenal’s new podcast, The Link-Up, which is exclusive on the club’s new app The Arsenal, Saka sat down with Tems for an engaging discussion centred around the harmonies between expressing yourself in the studio and on the football pitch.

Introducing The Link-Up: a Bukayo Saka show 🤩

Stream Episode I now on The Arsenal 📱

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 5, 2026

Of the roughly 17-minute watch time, the moment where Saka revealed he had never heard of Celine Dion after Tems had named her as one of her inspirations has been the most talked-about part of the podcast. And rightly so. Not caring much for the Canadian icon is one thing; never having heard of the five-time Grammy Award winner and four-time Guinness World Records holder is another. Tems’ reaction carried the shock of the millions who had just learned that fact about Saka. But there were other moments that did not quite pass the viral test and were just as interesting. Here are three that we took notice of.

Saka’s Musical Abilities

The story of how Saka became an Arsenal prodigy from childhood has been told repeatedly since he broke through the ranks at the Emirates in 2018. He revisited that journey briefly while speaking with Tems as the two explored their early career trajectories.

But if you have ever wondered how Saka might fare in another discipline, particularly one that involves music, the podcast offers a glimpse. A studio moment involving both stars and Tems’ producer, Guilty Beatz, revealed quite a bit about Saka’s limitations with anything musical. It was something he seemed aware of himself, even telling Tems not “to lie to him” after she attempted to flatter his effort.

Saka’s Pre-Game Ritual

Bukayo Saka tells Tems she’s part of his matchday playlist alongside Asake and Burna Boy 🎵

(via @Arsenal) pic.twitter.com/p3A25s79jm

— ESPN Africa (@ESPNAfrica) March 5, 2026

Pre-game rituals among athletes are nothing new. They are almost as old as sport itself, with many athletes relying on routines to prepare mentally before competition. For Saka, as with many footballers, music plays that role.

“Music plays a big role in my life. It can bring me joy, peace. Basically whatever I want from it,” he revealed.

The English-Nigerian footballer also spoke about Afrobeats influences, mentioning Tems herself, Asake and Burna Boy among the artists he listens to. But when it comes to the track that is always reserved for the moments before he steps onto the pitch, Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” remains his go-to choice.

Saka is All About Saka on the Pitch

After their brief studio session, Tems asked Saka about the players who influenced him while growing up. Although he admitted that he once had several favourite footballers whose styles he tried to mirror, he explained that he has gradually grown into his own identity on the pitch.

To hear it in his own words, “I watched a lot of football growing up. You naturally have favourite players and you’ll try to take stuff from their game, but at the same time, you just have to do your own thing. You might appreciate it, but you just have to do your thing.”