Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has told the club’s official website that he is looking forward to having Emile Smith Rowe back in actin soon.
Arteta has described Arsenal and England international attacking midfielder Smith Rowe as “a huge talent”.
The Arsenal boss has said that the 22-year-old, who can operate as an attacking midfielder or as a winger, is close to resume playing for the Gunners.
Smith Rowe had surgery in September to sort out of his groin problem.
The youngster has made four substitute appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal so far this season.
The Arsenal no. 10 made 21 starts and 12 substitute appearances in the league last season, scoring 10 goals and providing two assists in the process.
Mikel Arteta on Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe
Arteta said about Smith Rowe: “Emile is close, he is starting to train again. He had a little setback but he is in a good place.”
The Arsenal boss added: “We’ve done a lot of things with Emile – sometimes he’s been very close, sometimes he’s been in different places to see different environments, but his attitude has been great.
“This is part of any career, any development to have periods when you are out, when you have long-term injuries, and he needs to react to that.
“He’s got all our support; he’s a huge talent that we need for the second part of the season at his best, because his contribution is going to be key to the team.”
Smart management
In our opinion, it is very smart management from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to speak so highly of Emile Smith Rowe.
Arteta is clearly telling the 22-year-old – in public as well – that the English youngster is very much an important player in the team despite Arsenal doing well in his absence.
The way that Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are playing at the moment will make it hard to Smith Rowe to simply walk into the team.
But gradually Smith Rowe could re-establish himself in the Arsenal first team.
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