June 18th 2023.
Emile Smith Rowe has been linked with moves to West Ham, Aston Villa and Brighton after a frustrating season in north London. The 22-year-old, who can play as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or a winger, has made 96 first-team appearances for Arsenal, with 18 goals and 11 assists to his name.
Rumours of Smith Rowe's departure this summer began to circulate after Arsenal looked to bring in James Maddison as a replacement. But reports suggest that the Gunners are not looking to sell Smith Rowe and instead, he is very much a part of the club's plans for the 2023-24 season.
The Englishman has now spoken out about his future, telling The Times: “I just want to be on the pitch. This was the hardest season of my career. It was tough [not playing], but we were in a title race and I understand the manager isn’t going to change the team if we’re winning every game. I just tried to stay positive and train as well as I could. The other players and Mikel [Arteta] were great with me, kept me feeling connected. But it was tough, a long season. I won’t lie.
“Arsenal are my club and I’m not going to give up until [Arteta] says he doesn’t want me. But that’s not the case. He wants me as part of the team and I want to fight for my place and get back in the team. I think with the team we’ve got, it’s definitely possible [to win the Premier League].
"This season, it just got nicked at the end and you can’t really argue with Man City, but knowing we managed to go so far in the season top of the league shows the character and belief we have as a young team. I think this year was just the start for us and next season we can do even better.”
Smith Rowe's future is still uncertain but whatever happens, it's clear that he still has a passion for the Gunners and is determined to fight for his place in the team next season.
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