Emile Smith Rowe has now ended his 14-year association with Arsenal, and it truly is the end of an era.
The midfielder was a popular figure at the club, and several Arsenal teammates expressed their sadness at his departure.
Smith Rowe needs to play regularly after two difficult seasons out in the cold, and has now joined Fulham in a deal which could reach £34m.
When Smith Rowe first broke into the team, he helped save Mikel Arteta’s job, and gave new life to an Arsenal side who were at their lowest point.
The Englishman became the face of Mikel Arteta’s project alongside Bukayo Saka, and both Hale End graduates enjoyed a special relationship on and off the pitch.
Arsenal fans even curated a song with the lyrics “Here we go, Saka and Emile Smith Rowe,” with the pair helping the club repair what was a broken relationship with the fanbase when crowds were allowed to return to stadiums, and the impact of both players in that period goes well beyond what they did on the pitch.
Saka has now sent a message to Smith Rowe following his departure, and it marks the end of an era and what was a special partnership from the Academy to the first team.
Bukayo Saka sends farewell message to Emile Smith Rowe after Arsenal departure
On his Instagram account, Saka wished his former teammate luck at Fulham, whilst highlighting some of the special memories they created together.
“From Hale End to the Emirates and all the memories on our journey. It’s been an absolute pleasure. Go and shine bro!” Saka posted.
Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe’s special Arsenal partnership
When Smith Rowe broke into the team against Chelsea in December 2020, his impact was notable as he gave Arsenal fresh attacking impetus, and helped end a seven-game winless run as he assisted Saka to score the third goal in a 3-1 win.
Later that season, Saka assisted Smith Rowe’s first Premier League goal against West Brom, and the pair linked up superbly on the pitch.
In arguably Smith Rowe’s greatest moment at the club, he opened the scoring in a crucial North London derby win, with Saka crossing to him to finish off in the opening minutes of the game.
As two of Hale End’s best-ever success stories, Saka and Smith Rowe looked like it could become a legendary partnership, with the club even aligning their image alongside Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.
However, things did not pan out for Smith Rowe, but they will hope to play together again for the England National Team.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
