Alan Smith has concerns over Arsenal ace Smith Rowe

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Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has expressed some concern over the future of Emile Smith Rowe.

Emile Smith Rowe has struggled for game time at Arsenal recently, owing to fitness issues of his own, and the form of players like Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard keeping him out of the team.

Smith Rowe has not started a Premier League game for Arsenal since the 2021/22 season, and started his first competitive game of any kind for the Gunners in 499 days when he was selected in the XI to face Brentford in the club’s recent EFL Cup clash.

This lack of game time could lead to the 23-year-old attacking midfielder opting to seek pastures new. At this stage in his career, the three-cap England international needs to be playing regular football.

Question marks over Emile Smith Rowe

Alan Smith represented the north London club between 1987 and 1995, making 347 appearances for the club, scoring 115 goals, and winning two league titles. He is not convinced that Smith Rowe will be at the Emirates Stadium much longer.

Speaking to former Arsenal teammate David Seaman on the Seaman Says podcast, Smith said, “there’s something about Emile that Arteta’s not sure about…He must be thinking, probably I need to move if this continues because he’s too good. But if you’re Arteta, you want to keep that depth of quality in your squad, so he’ll like to keep him I’d imagine.”

Mikel Arteta has previously been insistent that he wants to keep the £40,000-a-week Hale End academy graduate at the club. If he is to stay, though, he surely needs more opportunities. Smith Rowe will be desperately hoping that he is involved against Lens in Tuesday evening’s Champions League clash.

If Smith Rowe can maintain his fitness and get back to his best then he has the quality to be a key figure in this Arsenal squad. With his dribbling ability and talent for timing late attacking runs into the penalty area, he can bring a new dimension to the way Arsenal play as an attacking unit.