Arsenal right now are team who are clearly finding their identity. While they have some aging veterans in their side, the Gunners have multiple exciting young players like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
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Emile Smith-Rowe who started off for the U-23 side of Arsenal, had an incredible incredible start as he scored three goals in three starts. Head coach Mikel Arteta certainly was impressed with the young midfielder.
Smith-Rowe certainly continued his incredible run with the Londoners. Playing 33 games with the Gunners, the 20-year-old contributed to a total of 11 goals and certainly became a mainstay in the Arsenal side.
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Emile Smith-Rowe the new number 10 for Arsenal
Smith-Rowe certainly left a last impression on Arteta and the team. Given his impressive season, the Londoners recently signed the young star for the next five years with a salary of £1,040,000 per year. Not only that, Smith-Rowe will now be taking up the iconic number 10 shirt.
Previously worn by German maestro Mesut Ozil, the young star certainly has all the pressure on his shoulders to perform. But the 20-year-old certainly is up for the task. Last season, Smith-Rowe’s impact was visible as the Arsenal attack looked functional and smooth sailing. Much of it was because of his movement off the ball as well.
Given that he had 11 goal contributions from the mid-field and that he is still only 20-years-old, the Arsenal young star might flourish with a more prominent role. He definitely has the skills required to be an incredible playmaker for the Gunners.
The situation is all-set for the 20-year-old as well. While last season he had to share the playmaking role with loanee Martin Odegaard, the Norwegian won’t be available for the Londoners next season and is all-set to feature in Real’s setup. Given his increased role, expect to see a jump in the numbers for the English midfielder.
In the middle of a rebuild, Arteta needs consistency from the likes of Saka and Smith-Rowe. While Saka has continued to impress, Smith-Rowe needs to be gain some consistency in order to guarantee his starting role for the team.
The 20-year-old certainly has some special talents if he is being given such a massive platform. Mikel Arteta certainly supports the youngster to excel in the league. All of it will now depend on Smith-Rowe who will look to capitalize on the given opportunity.