Mikel Arteta hardly used Emile Smith Rowe during Arsenal’s run-in last season (Picture: Getty)
Mikel Arteta has ‘no intention’ of selling Emile Smith Rowe this summer, despite the Arsenal star having been reduced to a bit-part role since his return from injury.
The Hale End Academy graduate endured a frustrating campaign which began with him suffering a groin strain during the warm down following the Gunners’ defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford back in September.
Smith Rowe was forced to undergo surgery that ruled him out of the World Cup but having recovered in time for the Premier League re-start, he was expected to play a key role in his side’s title bid.
Instead, he failed to make a single start and ultimately, overall, played only 195 minutes in all competitions.
Despite having seemingly fallen out of favour, The Athletic report that Arteta has far from lost faith in the 22-year-old and will not countenance letting him go when the transfer window opens.
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It is hoped that Smith Rowe will play a big-part for England’s Under-21 side at the upcoming European Championships and build up his fitness, ready to hit the ground running in pre-season.
Arsenal are expected to spend heavily this summer but Arteta insists his priority to maximise the potential of the players he intends to retain.
Speaking after Sunday’s 5-0 win over Wolves, he said: ‘First of all, be critical with ourselves, first with myself.
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‘My job is to get the best out of 24 players that we have available and I haven’t been able to do that.
‘There are still players who have great potential and we haven’t been able to do that.
‘There are different reasons, whether it’s injuries, whether it’s game time, whether I haven’t had the opportunity or we I haven’t been able to play them enough. We have to look for those margins because we have those margins and our job is to make them better.’
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The Hale End academy graduate endured a difficult, injury-hit season.
