Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that he told Emile Smith Rowe not to leave the Gunners in the summer transfer window.
Emile Smith Rowe was linked with moves to Chelsea, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, but the attacking midfielder is still at Arsenal.
90min reported this week that Chelsea, Newcastle and Villa all wanted to sign Smith Rowe from Premier League rivals Arsenal in the final days of the summer transfer window.
The 23-year-old, who can operate as a winger, is still at Arsenal.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on Emile Smith Rowe
And Arteta has said that he held talks with the England international and told him not to leave this summer.
Arsenal’s official website quotes Arteta as saying about Smith Rowe’s future: “He has a role like everybody else does, which is to give his best to make the team better.”
Arteta added: “Obviously, I have conversations with him and it’s important for him to understand where he is.
“It was always going to be tricky in the first three or four weeks, not just for us, but for all of the clubs when you see all of the rumours about all of the players that are not playing and are unhappy, not only in this country, but in every country because it’s one game per week, for a month and everybody has started the new season with huge aspirations and there’s not minutes for everybody, but September will be very different.”
We believe that Smith Rowe is better off staying at Arsenal for one more season and then deciding his future.
True, it is going to be hard for the 23-year-old to get much playing time this season.
After all, Arsenal signed Kai Havertz from Chelsea in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners also brought in Leandro Trossard in January 2023.
Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli are regulars in the first team.
However, Smith Rowe came through the Arsenal academy system, and he should back himself to get into the team.
After all, Smith Rowe did well before his injury problems, and we know that he has talent.
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