Emile Smith Rowe is a proper Arsenal fan, and his long-term ambitions are to stay with the club and become a legend here.

Long considered one of Arsenal’s top academy talents, Emile Smith Rowe is just waiting for the chance to show what he can do for the club he loves.

The 20-year-old has made 12 appearances for the first team so far, scoring three goals. But injuries and a couple of loan spells have limited his game time with the Gunners.

After recovering from a shoulder problem in the early stages of this campaign, Smith Rowe is fit again now, though he needs to build his match sharpness. He told the club matchday programme that his dreams for the future all involve Arsenal.

“As an Arsenal fan, it would be a dream to become an Arsenal legend if I’m honest,” Smith Rowe said. “I want to win trophies with the team because I can’t express how much love I have for the club.

“I’ve been a fan from a very young age, so it would definitely be an honour to be a legend here. I could see myself being a one-club man if everything works out.”

The frustrating thing is that this is a young player with a lot of talent who loves the club, in a position where Arsenal could use some reinforcements, but the niggling injuries are holding him back.

If Smith Rowe can stay fit, it’ll benefit both himself and Arsenal to get him out on the pitch regularly. We already know Mikel Arteta likes him, and wanted the player back at the club instead of on loan. Injuries will be the only limiting factor now.