Arsena star Bukayo Saka, made a special visit to his childhood neighborhood on Wednesday, December 6th, to celebrate the opening of the newest New Balance store in Westfield, White City.

Growing up just a short distance away from the new store, Bukayo frequently visited the Westfield shopping centre. To commemorate his early years, Bukayo invited children from his former primary and secondary schools to meet him at the New Balance store. 

When asked about the event, Bukayo expressed his delight, stating, “I used to go to Westfield a lot when I was young, so it’s wonderful for me to now see a store with my face at the front. I wаnted to do something to celebrate the opening that would be meaningful for the local community and involve kids growing up in a similar area to me, hopefully inspiring them to dream big too.”

The occasion also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness for the UK-based charity, Street Soccer Foundation. This sport-for-change organization utilizes football as a catalyst to improve the lives of vulnerable and homeless young people across the country. Bukayo has long been a supporter of the charity and recently donated over 100 pairs of his limited-edition Furon v7 Seven Edition football boots, which launched in September.