Arsenal are working on a new five-year contract with Emile Smith Rowe, and they’re optimistic they can complete the deal soon.

David Ornstein reports that Arsenal are keen to get Emile Smith Rowe’s future sorted as soon as possible. He’s currently under contract until 2023, but the club are in negotiations over a fresh deal to reward his recent progress.

Arsenal consider Smith Rowe a key figure in the team and someone central to their plans for the future.

Fabrizio Romano adds that Arsenal have been working on a new deal for Smith Rowe since March, and there’s optimism they can complete it soon. The player is happy at Arsenal and open to staying, with a five-year deal on the table.

The 20-year-old has four goals and seven assists for the senior side this season, despite missing the first few months of the campaign. He only made his first Premier League appearance on Boxing Day, and he’s had a couple of injury problems since then.

More than just the goals and assists, Smith Rowe’s inclusion in the team has had a fairly dramatic impact on performances overall. Arsenal would be pushing for Champions League football if you only counted results post-Christmas.

Given his age, it’s clear why Arsenal have high hopes for the midfielder in the long term. It seems both sides are keen for him to stay, so it should just be a matter of time now.