Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking at his pre-Fulham press conference (Picture: YouTube)
Mikel Arteta says he let an ‘exceptional’ player leave Arsenal when he sanctioned Emile Smith Rowe’s move to Fulham.
Smith Rowe ended his long association with the Gunners last summer, moving across London to Fulham in a deal worth more than £30m.
The playmaker joined Arsenal at the age of 10 and went on to make 80 Premier League appearances for his boyhood club.
Smith Rowe struggled with injuries throughout his time at Arsenal, however, and struggled to make an impact during his final season at the Emirates Stadium.
The England international has enjoyed a promising first season at Craven Cottage, scoring five goals and making two assists in the Premier League for a Fulham team who have climbed to eighth in the table.
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Despite this, Fulham boss Marco Silva recently urged Smith Rowe to produce more ‘consistency’ and Arteta admitted this was also an issue during his time at Arsenal, though he pointed the blame at his various and reoccurring injury setbacks.
Arteta still believes Smith Rowe, 24, can become a ‘top, top footballer’ and says he has ‘tremendous quality’.
Fulham v Crystal Palace - Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final
Emile Smith Rowe swapped Arsenal for Fulham last summer (Picture: Getty)
Asked about his former player at his pre-Fulham press conference on Monday morning, Arteta said: ‘It’s exceptional [his quality].
‘He’s got all the attributes to become a top, top footballer. He was unable to get that consistency with us, especially with the injuries. But he has tremendous quality.’
Silva, meanwhile, said of Smith Rowe: ‘He’s had good games, others not too good. He needs to find his level to perform consistently well – Premier League demands a lot from you.
Arsenal v Blackpool - FA Youth Cup Semi Final 2nd Leg
Smith Rowe joined Arsenal at the age of 10 (Picture: Getty)
‘We have been working with him, to be in his best physical shape. He has to take some steps soon. I really like him, trust him, he’s had an impact and he will be in the future too.
‘People like to look at the negative sides. As a manager, I like to look at the positives.
‘We all expected him to have an impact in every game in a Fulham shirt. He’s had an impact in maybe half of the games he’s played.’
Fulham v Crystal Palace - Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final
Fulham boss Marco Silva (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal have Bukayo Saka back at their disposal for the first time in three months for Tuesday’s London derby against Fulham.
‘Bukayo Saka is ready to go,’ Arteta said. ‘All the careful things are already done.
‘Now it’s about putting him in the grass at the right moment. But he’s pushing because he really wants to. We have respected the timeline and we have done everything. He is ready to go.
‘Bukayo is a massive weapon that we have. We know the impact he has in the team and how important his role and contribution is to our success. It’s great to have him back again.’
On the threat of Fulham, Arteta added: ‘They are always a tough opposition.
‘They are well coached and they have been together for many years. They have great organisation and individual quality.
‘They have a very clear identity and idea of how to approach the game. So we have to be very good to beat them.
‘We had a lot of dominance in the last game against them [1-1 draw in December], but they were very clinical. They managed to score the goal and sat back and reduced the spaces.’
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