Emile Smith Rowe has admitted this was the toughest season of his career so far, but he’s not giving up on Arsenal.
Emile Smith Rowe made 15 appearances for Arsenal this season amid various injury setbacks, providing a couple of assists but struggling for any consistency in his minutes.
With the upcoming u21 European Championships set to provide the midfielder with a chance to impress, Smith Rowe has been reflecting on his club season in the build-up to the international tournament.
“I just want to be on the pitch,” Smith Rowe told The Times. “This was the hardest season of my career. I had this injury in my groin since, maybe, I was 19 years old. I’d just been managing it season after season, getting injections and taking tablets to not feel it.
“Last season I had an injection which would make me not feel my groin at all, even when kicking the ball. That was the only thing helping me get through games.
“But at the start of this season, I was still feeling it and felt I couldn’t just keep having injections for the rest of my career.
“I got to Manchester United away [last September] and took a shot, off balance, but tried to use all my power. I knew as soon as I done it, I’d torn something.”
Smith Rowe subsequently underwent surgery, leading to his absence for large parts of the remainder of the season.
Even when fit again, the 22-year-old struggled to get back into the team in the second half of the campaign, leading to some speculation that he could leave Arsenal this summer.
But on that note, Smith Rowe was clear that he won’t give up on his club as long as they still want him around.
“Arsenal are my club and I’m not going to give up until [Arteta] says he doesn’t want me,” Smith Rowe insisted.
The Daily Mail report that Emile Smith Rowe has been informed by Arsenal that he’s in Mikel Arteta’s plans for the 2023/24 campaign, and the Gunners intend to keep him around this summer.
Smith Rowe has been linked with West Ham, Aston Villa, and Brighton, but he’s currently set to stay at Arsenal following his conversations with the club.
On a potential swap deal with West Ham for Declan Rice, Fabrizio Romano had previously reported that Arsenal weren’t interested in including Smith Rowe in their proposal.
That wasn’t the first we’d heard that Smith Rowe is set to stay, as David Ornstein recently reported that Arsenal have no intention to sell him this summer.
The midfielder still has a contract until 2026, and he remains an important part of Mikel Arteta’s plans, despite his minimal role for the club this season.
Ornstein reports that Arsenal are hoping Smith Rowe shines at the u21 European Championships and in pre-season, before having a big season in 2023/24. Nuno Tavares will also be at the event with Portugal.
Arsenal u21 Euros fixtures
Wednesday, June 21st
- 17:00 – Georgia vs Portugal
Thursday, June 22nd
- 17:00 – Czech Republic vs England
Saturday, June 24th
- 17:00 – Portugal vs Netherlands
Sunday, June 25th
- 17:00 – England vs Israel
Tuesday, June 27th
- 17:00 – Portugal vs Belgium
Wednesday, June 28th
- 17:00 – England vs Germany
Times in BST
The quarter-finals are on July 1st and 2nd, and the exact date will depend on whether Portugal and/or England finish 1st or 2nd in their groups, should they progress at all.
The semi-finals are both on July 5th, and the final is on July 8th.