Arsenal take on Fulham in the Premier League next and Emile Smith Rowe will face the Gunners for the first time since leaving the club.
The Englishman came through the ranks at Arsenal having joined the Gunners as a kid. He absolutely loved the club and was adored by fans as well.
Every time Smith Rowe stepped onto the pitch at the Emirates, he was cheered on. Even his teammates and backroom staff absolutely loved him.
In the summer transfer window, Arsenal had to make the sad decision of selling Smith Rowe. Mikel Arteta has just revealed the reason behind that decision.
Why Arsenal allowed Emile Smith Rowe to leave and join Fulham
Smith Rowe got an opportunity against Chelsea on Boxing Day in 2020, and he became a regular under Arteta from that point.
The versatile attacker made fans fall in love with him that season, and things got even better in the following campaign, when he scored 11 goals in all competitions.
Just when everyone were expecting Smith Rowe to go to the next level, he suffered a groin injury that limited his chances in the 2022/23 season.
He barely played in the next campaign as well because of injury issues and other factors.
Arteta has now revealed that Smith Rowe wanted a ‘fresh start’ after two years of struggles. He and the Arsenal board understood that and decided to let him go.
The Gunners boss has admitted that it was a really tough decision to make.
He said in his press conference, as relayed on HaytersTV: “It was a very tough decision to let Emile go, especially because, personally, I feel very grateful for what he did for the club and for me in a period of time where I think he was instrumental to change something around us.
“But, at the end, players have to play. He had a lot of difficult moments as well, a lot of struggles due to injuries when we were together. He needed a fresh start.
“It’s normal, we understood that and we allowed him to go.”
READ MORE: Four of the best Emile Smith Rowe moments at Arsenal
How has Smith Rowe performed since joining Fulham?
Arsenal fans were really sad to see Smith Rowe go and rightly so.
The Englishman, along with Bukayo Saka, gave us a lot of hope at a time when things were dark. He carried the club on his shoulders and helped lay the foundations for what they have become today.
Arsenal supporters will forever be grateful for Smith Rowe, and we’re sure all of them are delighted to see him play regularly and perform well for Fulham.
The 24-year-old has played every single game in the Premier League this season and has directly contributed to five goals – three goals and two assists.
We wish Smith Rowe nothing but the best, but hopefully, he will have a quiet game against Arsenal on Sunday.
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