Academy midfielder Matt Smith completed his loan move to Swindon Town this week, following recent squad involvement with the Arsenal first team.

Swindon Town announced the loan signing of Matt Smith from Arsenal on Monday. Smith will join the League One side on a season-long loan deal as he looks to make his first appearances in senior football.

After winning the u18 Premier League South as Arsenal captain in 2018/19, Smith stepped up to the u23s well last season. His strong passing from deep in midfield was a key component of the youth side.

Recovering from injury to play 75 minutes against Liverpool in September, he appeared in every game in every competition after that until the early end of the season. 18 consecutive matches in all competitions.

After lockdown, Smith caught Mikel Arteta’s eye and made the senior squad six times. He even picked up an FA Cup winners medal making the bench for the final. But he’s still waiting on his competitive senior debut.

That’s exactly what the loan market is for. Smith will now get the chance to prove himself in the men’s game in League One. He told the Swindon website: “I’m very excited. I feel like it will be a good experience for me and I’m looking forward to starting the season.

“I feel like I’m going to learn a lot off the manager. He’s pretty similar to Mikel Arteta, they’re both very encouraging. The gaffer has made me feel welcome and I feel the qualities I have can match the way he wants to play.”

The EFL season kicks off with the League Cup, with the draw for the first round taking place this week. As a result, we know Smith will get his first chance at competitive match action for Swindon against Charlton Athletic on Saturday 5th September.