Emile Smith Rowe appears resolute in his decision to stay and battle for his position at Arsenal.
The 23-year-old only made it to the starting line-up three times last season as the Gunners once again failed to clinch the Premier League title. Speculation has been rife that Smith Rowe might depart this summer in pursuit of more consistent playtime elsewhere, after being relegated to a minor role under Mikel Arteta’s management.
Fulham and West Ham have been mentioned as potential destinations, where he could secure a more significant role. However, it seems Smith Rowe is not contemplating an exit, having taken the initiative to prepare for the upcoming season.
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He commenced his pre-season training four weeks ahead of schedule, as reported by CBS, indicating his determination to ascend the Arsenal hierarchy. The latest scoop reveals Mikel Arteta has whisked away six of his Arsenal lads to Mallorca for a sneaky bit of pre-season training ahead of the official schedule next month.
Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Jurrien Timber, Reiss Nelson, and Fabio Vieira were spotted alongside Emile Smith Rowe soaking up the Spanish sun while getting a leg up on their fitness and form. Smith Rowe, keen as mustard, jetted off a whole week earlier than his team-mates, eager to get a jump on his fitness regime.
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He’s chopping down his summer hols to shape up for the new season, despite whispers about his future at the club being up in the air with only two years left on his contract, reports the Express. But with his nose to the grindstone, it looks like he’s gunning to stick with the Gunners.
Arteta’s got nothing but love for Smith Rowe, gushing over him after Arsenal’s triumph over Luton Town back in April. “I love him as a player, he is a joy to watch,” Arteta beamed. “How he moves, changes direction and how physical he was today without the ball. He went into duels and won a lot of them.”
“He was thinking with that killer instinct to play forward and make things happen. When Emile is in that moment, it’s very difficult to stop him. Today he helped us a lot to win the game.”