Arsenal: Predicting the future of every loan player

Emile Smith Rowe

Alongside William Saliba, if there is one loanee who could return to Arsenal and forge a future for himself at the club, it is Huddersfield Town midfielder, Emile Smith Rowe, who has flourished since signing for the Championship side in January. In fact, his manager, Dan Cowley, has waxed lyrical about his qualities.

“Emile Smith Rowe is just a really lovely player, isn’t he?” Cowley said of the midfielder. “He looked a top player, didn’t he. He has that ability to find space; he could find space in a telephone box; he speeds the play up for you and draws and commits and I think it would have been a brilliant performance if he had scored.”

Smith Rowe will turn 20 in the summer. He could the natural heir to Mesut Ozil’s attacking midfield positon. He certainly carries the same creativity as the German, but adds that element of athleticism and work-rate that Ozil has always lacked, especially in recent seasons. Whether he is ready for such responsibility next season is more doubtful, but that is what Smith Rowe will surely be aiming for.

Another loan deal could be on the cards, if Mikel Arteta does not feel he can provide Smith Rowe with enough playing time to continue his development. But if Smith Rowe continues to perform as he has done at Huddersfield upon his return to Arsenal, he could force his way into the midfield rotation. And then, the world really is his oyster.