Emile Smith-Rowe signs five-year contract with Arsenal

Emile Smith-Rowe has signed a new contract with Arsenal, officially confirmed by the club. He has penned the new deal until 2026, and will now wear the number 10 shirt which was previously worn by Mesut Ozil for Arsenal. 

Mikel Arteta was very appreciative of the youngster, and this is what he had to say about the player extending his deal with the Gunners: 

“Emile is an intelligent player with excellent ability. His sharpness on the turn and exceptional vision have already made him a key player for us. As we all saw last season, Emile is an intelligent player with excellent ability.

“His sharpness on the turn and exceptional vision have already made him a key player for us. His attitude and willingness to learn have also been very impressive.I know the fans will join us in being delighted that Emile has committed his future to the club. We’re now looking forward to helping him develop further and seeing him become even more important to the strong young team we’re building.” 

Smith-Rowe was impressive for Arsenal in 20/21 and was awarded numerous first-team starts. He scored 4 goals and provided 7 assists in 33 appearances across all competitions for the Gunners last season. Aston Villa were interested in signing the youngster and made two bids for him, but were turned down by Arsenal on both occasions. 

The England youth international created more chances than anyone at the club last season, and Mikel Arteta is keen to build the team around Bukayo Saka, as well as Smith-Rowe.