Arsenal’s Smith Rowe: Key Player Not for Sale Despite Lack of Games

Despite rumors that Emile Smith Rowe could be sold this summer, Arsenal has no plans to let go of the academy product. The 22-year-old midfielder had a frustrating season due to injury, which limited him to just 14 appearances without any starts. However, the Gunners still see him as a key part of Mikel Arteta’s plans and hope he will play a bigger role in the next season. Smith Rowe, who has three appearances and a goal for the senior side, will join the England Under-21s next month for the Euros in Georgia and Romania before returning to pre-season training. He had surgery on a groin problem in September, which had troubled him for four years, but he revealed in March that he was finally “pain-free.” Smith Rowe joined Arsenal at the age of 10 in 2010 and signed his first professional contract in July 2018. He made his first-team debut against Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League two months later and has since scored 18 goals in 96 appearances for the Gunners.