Emile Smith Rowe has been tipped by the Daily Mail to become an England regular.
The publication has a column written by what they describe as ‘a top football expert who attends matches each week searching for the next star’.
In his column this week, he says of the Arsenal youngster, “in young Smith-Rowe they have a player who looks as though he will progress to regular senior level. Watching him recently, I saw a most mature player — confident, clinical and even at his tender age the game came easily to him.
“I think he will advance quickly and I fully expect Arsenal, and maybe England in the future, to be the winners here.”
The 18-year-old has already represented England at u16, 17, and 18 level, with two goals in 12 appearances.
For Arsenal this season he has three goals in seven appearances across all levels, totalling 84 minutes for the first team.
“I was playing at Bishop Auckland last season and now I’m in the Europa League,” Smith Rowe said after the game against Vorskla. “It’s crazy. Playing in the FA Youth Cup to six months later making my first team debut playing with players I wouldn’t have dreamed of.
“My social media has gone crazy. Everyone’s just so happy for me. I’ve been getting messages from old school friends I haven’t seen in about five years. To get this type of feedback with all my mates texting me is just crazy.
“But my parents have said to me keep my feet on the ground, stay focused and don’t let it get to you.”
Smith Rowe doesn’t seem to be getting carried away and has some very modest targets for this season. “For me my targets are to play as many u23s and u21 matches as I can to get as much as experience as possible,” he added. “One day I hope to make my Premier League debut this season and games like this [Europa League match] can help to progress into the first team. But for me now it’s back to the Checkatrade and the u21s.”
Smith Row, of course, got his full debut midweek when he started in the League Cup against Brentford. He played 64 minutes before being replaced by Alexandre Lacazette.