Just one Premier League appearance in that 2018/19 debut season was quickly followed by a 26-game run in the English top flight, during which he managed one goal and five assists.
Slowly but surely, his importance to the team increased, as did his goals and assists tally, which currently sits at 69 goals and 48 assists in 245 Premier League games.
Add another 21 goals and 18 assists from domestic and European cup games, and it's easy to see why many consider Saka to be Arsenal's 'star boy.'
However, things haven't really gone to plan for him this season.
Just six goals and three assists in the league is his worst return since the 2020/21 campaign, when he managed just five goals and three assists.
Injury issues
He's already missed two months of the current campaign with three separate injuries, which may account for the low output, but the issue for both Mikel Arteta and the player himself is that he's been so instrumental to the way in which Arsenal play.
When he's on song, the North Londoners look a much more balanced outfit.
It's worth pointing out that he's had another 30 separate illnesses or injuries to deal with during the time he's been in the Gunners' first team, so it's certainly worth posing the question as to whether there could be a very real risk of burnout.
With the amount of games to be played at the highest level these days, the physical and mental demands on the top performers are always likely to take their toll at some point.
Arsenal have done well without him
Being Arsenal's star man is all well and good if you can remain physically capable and free of injury.
Seemingly having to play every possible minute for club and country is looking more and more like it's doing Saka no favours whatsoever.
Not forgetting too, that the Gunners have done alright without him in the team this season. A season in which they still lead the Premier League and are in the last 16 of the Champions League.
To give a little perspective, Saka recently scored against Brighton, but aside from a goal against bottom-of-the-table Wolves in a 2-2 draw shortly before that, he hadn't found the net since December 3 against Brentford - a 16-game barren period.
Across the season, it works out at 318.5 minutes between each Saka goal in the Premier League, which is his worst return since the 20/21 season (511.8 minutes between goals).
A shot conversion rate in the English top flight during 2025/26 of just 10.2% is one of his lowest, while his 59 total shots in the league this season are down on his output from the previous few campaigns.
Poor form needs to be addressed
Even his 159 touches in the opposition box are only six more than 20/21, and therefore the second-worst showing since Saka broke through.
That isn't the form of a star player, no matter how you try to dress it up.
Given that we are hurtling headlong into the business end of the current season, Saka's contribution - or lack of one - needs to be addressed quickly by the club.
There's no suggestion that Arsenal want him to leave, nor has Saka intimated that he wants to go; however, with his numbers and form dwindling, it could be in everyone's best interests if Arteta at least allows him to spend a short while on the sidelines to re-focus and recuperate.
Far too often in the modern game, players are brought back into the fold before their body or mind is ready, and the Gunners can ill afford for Saka to have a stop-start career from this point.
Time to manage workload
With years ahead of him if his game time is managed correctly, the player can easily recapture his best form of a couple of seasons ago.
As Arsenal close in on their first Premier League title in 22 years, it's obvious why Saka wants to play the biggest part, but he does have the World Cup to think about, too.
It shouldn't be a club vs country decision, but if he wants to shine for both over the next few months, then Saka has to be mature enough to listen to his body and rest when necessary.
Do just that, and he has every chance of reinstating his top billing.
