Arsenal players this week returned to training after nearly two weeks since their last Premier League game against Wolves, with players not participating in Qatar making their way back to London Colney.
The likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Magalhaes and Eddie Nketiah were back in Hertfordshire as Mikel Arteta prepares for the return of the Premier League on Boxing Day, with the Gunners set play mid-season friendlies against the likes of AC Milan, Olympique Lyonnais and Juventus at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal sit top of the Premier League after a club-record best start to a first-division season, and as you can expect, spirits are high at the training ground as seen in a video posted by the club’s official YouTube channel.
With the majority of Arsenal’s main players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, only a handful of senior players were on the pitches at London Colney, with many Hale End academy graduates making up the rest of the session. And it appears that Matt Smith has caught the eye of Arteta in training.
As per the video, the Arsenal manager is heard praising the 22-year-old midfielder in a passing session, with Smith expected to feature for the Gunners in the mid-season friendlies out in Dubai as the likes of Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey represent their nations in Qatar.
Smith can earn January move after impressing in Arsenal training
Smith has felt like more a myth than actual player at Arsenal given how long the youngster has been around the first team without actually playing a single professional minute for the Gunners. And the upcoming friendlies could be the perfect platform for the midfielder to win a move in the January.
After all, opportunities at Arsenal will be very rare for Smith even with the Harlow-born talent impressing Arteta in training. And minutes in friendlies against the likes of Lyon and Milan will be ideal for the playmaker to attract potential suitors ahead of the transfer window.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
