Emmanuel Petit exclusively to William Hill:

Arsenal players could be in Ballon d’Or contention, adds former Gunners midfielder
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has told William Hill that Bukayo Saka is playing at a world-class level and could easily fit in at a club like Real Madrid, following his standout performance in the Gunners’ Champions League victory.

Petit said: “Bukayo Saka could easily be playing for Real Madrid. He’s one of the best players in the world in his position, even at this early stage of his career. It’s incredibly rare to see someone return from injury and consistently perform at such a high level, as he did on Tuesday night.

“His contributions in terms of goals and assists are elite. Just look at his performance against Madrid — he was absolutely crucial for Arsenal. One-on-one, down the flank, he’s a nightmare to defend. If Madrid were to make a move for him, I’m sure their fans would be more than delighted.”

Champions League winner will be Ballon d’Or favourite

Petit believes this year’s Ballon d’Or race will come down to Champions League performances, with no Euros and World Cup to split the vote — and thinks Saka deserves to be in the conversation.

He added: “The Ballon d’Or race is incredibly tight this year. Without a World Cup or Euros, the spotlight is firmly on the Champions League. That puts even more weight on performances from players still in the competition — Raphinha with Barcelona, Ousmane Dembélé at Paris Saint-Germain — they’re very much in the conversation. At this point, it could come down to something as simple as: whoever lifts the Champions League trophy might lift the Ballon d’Or too.

“After Arsenal’s first-leg win over Real Madrid, it’s hard to ignore the impact that could have on Kylian Mbappé’s chances. If he’s knocked out early, it dents his case. And on the flip side, if Arsenal go all the way, Bukayo Saka absolutely deserves to be in the Ballon d’Or discussion, but it may be tricky for him this season as he was injured for four months. But at the level he’s playing right now, you can’t count him out.”

Champions league betting

Palmer is not ready for Real Madrid

Petit added that he does not think Cole Palmer will be joining Real Madrid yet.

Petit said: “It’s probably too early for Cole Palmer to go to Real Madrid – remember, he did sign a nine-year contract last summer. I see Palmer’s situation similar to that of Trent Alexander-Arnold – it’s one thing being one of the favourite players at a Premier League club. At Real Madrid, it’s completely different, another world.

“When you reach the Bernabeu, you are starting your career over. Madrid is probably the biggest club in the world for the last few seasons – it’s a very, very intense pressure. The fans and the press can kill you. You don’t receive the same protection as you do in England.

“Also, Real Madrid already have a lot of offensive players. It reminds me of the Galacticos era when Claude Makelele was the only midfield player who could recover the ball – they didn’t win anything with the Galacticos!”