Emile Smith Rowe continues to pull the strings for Fulham after leaving Arsenal in the summer – and Mikel Arteta may begin to see regret set in should the Englishman keep it up
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been told they’ll live to regret letting Emile Smith Rowe depart by Fulham boss Marco Silva.
Despite rising through the ranks in north London to stake what seemed to be a first-team claim under Arteta, the signing of Martin Odegaard, partnered with nagging injuries, saw Smith Rowe fall out of favour and onto the chopping block.
The Cottagers, who finished 13th in the Premier League last season but have been flying high under Silva this time around – sitting on the same number of points as Arsenal – pounced on the opportunity to sign £34-million-rated Smith Rowe and haven’t looked back.
The 24-year-old was a VAR decision away from a double on Saturday against Crystal Palace and has impressed with three goals and two assists so far this campaign. Now, his manager, Silva, thinks that the dynamo’s former employers may regret letting him depart.
“Sometimes the most expensive ones are the players that don’t perform. When you saw him, and we had a small chance to fight to have him here, I told our board that we need to fight with everything we can because we needed a player like him,” Silva told BBC Match of the Day.
“Creative in those pocket areas, a player who will score more throughout the season – I don’t have doubts – he’s a lovely kid, a lovely boy who is going to become a man and improve. He’s already a really good player, he’s going to be a top player. It’s so nice to have a talent like him to work with.”
Although Silva suggests that regret may soon set in for Arteta, the Arsenal boss already displayed penitence after Smith Rowe was sold, admitting that he had perhaps failed him.
“I have a feeling like ‘argh’, that I have not got the best out of him [Smith Rowe],” Arteta stated earlier in the season when asked about the sale of Smith Rowe.
Join the debate! Will Arsenal regret selling Emile Smith Rowe? Let us know here.
“Obviously, a lot of things happened. From my side, it was really sad because I know how those boys feel when they are in that building and how hard everyone works to get them close to the first team, so I feel a huge responsibility to give them the chance.
“I have huge gratitude because he [Smith Rowe] came into the team at a tough moment. I think he was the player that made our supporters and the team click, in a way.”
Smith-Rowe will face his former club and be reacquainted with their supporters on December 8 as Arteta’s side travel to Craven Cottage.
Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Learn more