Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided an update on Emile Smith Rowe’s knee injury.
It was revealed after the defeat to West Ham in the Carabao Cup that the England international is likely to be sidelined for several weeks and, speaking ahead of the game against Newcastle on Saturday, Arteta expressed his disappointment that the injury-prone midfielder is sidelined once again:
“I think he will be out for weeks. How many will be determined by how he will progress in the first few weeks especially. It’s a big blow because he was getting some momentum and some minutes and we were starting to get the Emile that we needed. Unfortunately, though he’s going to be out again.”
Plenty of supporters on X have expressed sympathy for Smith Rowe but a few have started to ask whether it is time to sell the player, considering his poor fitness record:
Such a shame bro was getting good playing time🤧
— Sebastrigol (@Sebastrigol) November 1, 2023
This boy can’t catch a break. Maybe his luck has run out with. He needs to go somewhere else and rebuild his career
— Datila80 (@datila80) November 1, 2023
Yeah sell him now
— Muzammil Parkar (@TheMobShockwave) November 1, 2023
What is our medical team doing that our players get injured in practice?
— Ok Llama (@TheVibl3) November 2, 2023
Hope he doesn’t become a Diaby or Wilshere. I am doubting Arsenal’s training considering in last few decades how many players got injured very often.
— Utopian Earth Stories (@earth_utopian) November 2, 2023
Time to cash in now. Should’ve got simons I’m the summer
— harrymaple (@viewingtwit) November 1, 2023
He is so unlucky poor guy
— Zulfi chaudary (@zulfiqar2305) November 1, 2023
Smith Rowe does have interest from other Premier League clubs
Chelsea made enquiries for the 23-year-old during the summer transfer window but they ultimately decided to sign Cole Palmer from Manchester City instead.
It is believed that this weekend’s opponents, Newcastle, are also keeping tabs on Smith Rowe
Arsenal would demand a sizeable fee for Smith Rowe
Reports have claimed that the Gunners value the player as highly as Mason Mount. Manchester United paid Chelsea £55m (with another £5m in add-ons) for the midfielder in the summer, so that is likely to be Smith Rowe’s price tag as well.
Whether any team would be prepared to pay that much for him, considering his injury situation, we shall have to wait and see.
