RB Leipzig want to keep Emile Smith Rowe with them for another season, despite the fact that the Arsenal youngster is yet to feature in a game for the side.

Smith Rowe completed a loan move to RB Leipzig towards the end of the winter window, but he’s yet to recover from the injury that was already keeping him out of action with Arsenal. Nonetheless, Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick has suggested the club will look to keep the 18-year-old around next season.

“We have such a good relationship with Arsenal that we can imagine talking to them about another loan in March or April,” Rangnick said.

One point to note is that Rangnick won’t actually be the Leipzig manager next season. Hoffenheim boss Julian Nagelsmann is set to take over the job in the summer, so Arsenal and Smith Rowe himself would probably want to wait for Nagelsmann to give his approval to the loan first.

The 31-year-old manager already has experience working with Arsenal youth products, having spent the current campaign in Hoffenheim with Reiss Nelson on loan. Nelson has made a lot of progress, so that can’t harm Leipzig’s chances of convincing The Gunners to agree to another loan.

The question is whether Unai Emery wants to either let Smith Rowe go or keep him for his team in 2019/20. The youngster featured regularly in the Europa League and League Cup this season, scoring three goals in six games before his injury. Emery may think he’s ready for a consistent spot in the team by next year. We’ll see.