'Makes me smile' - Bukayo Saka reads thank-you letters from Nigerian children after Arsenal star helps provide 120 life-changing operations

Saka has been supporting children's medical charity, BigShoe, since 2022 and his backing has helped to fund 120-life changing operations in Kano, Nigeria. The 22-year-old received letters of thanks from some of those kids, who have been suffering from diseases such as inguinal hernias, umbilical hernias or brain tumours. Now the forward has revealed just how much this has meant to him.

He told Arsenal's website: "It [these letters] makes me smile. These kind of things mean more than anything in the world. To make children happy and give them the opportunity to enjoy their lives in the way that most of us here are able to do enjoy and do what we love."

Saka is having a huge impact on and off the pitch. The England international, whose parents both hail from Nigeria, has become one of the Premier League's best players and he is saving lives thanks to his charitable efforts, too. That allows people like Dr Musa Ibrahim, who performed many of the surgeries, to do their vital work.

Saka, who will continue to work with the charity, is back in Premier League action on Sunday when Arsenal travel to local rivals West Ham at London Stadium in a battle between third and seventh in the division.