On a chilly day in September 2018, Arsenal travelled to Ukraine to face Vorskla in the Europa League, and it was on this day that a prince was unleashed.
Emile Smith Rowe, a player that embodied everything that the north London club stood for, made his senior debut and found the back of the net with his first goal just two weeks later. Word of his success ricocheted across the footballing world, and soon everyone wanted to see more of this young star in action.
Croydon’s answer to Dennis Bergkamp first joined Arsenal aged 10, heading to the club’s Hale End academy with dreams of becoming a Premier League star. Immediately, he was different. Smith Rowe simply stood out among an extremely talented group of players, boasting immense levels of dedication and heart.
In 2016, he earned a place in the U18 team, and two years later he gained another promotion into the U23 squad. His success at this level was remarkable, and before long Smith Rowe had helped his side become Premier League champions at youth level.
Fans started to believe that this achievement could foreshadow future success on the senior stage and called for Smith Rowe to be included in first-team plans.
However, then-manager Unai Emery knew the midfielder needed more time to develop before he was thrown into the limelight and decided to send Smith Rowe on loan to RB Leipzig. His time in Germany wasn’t quite what fans expected, but a further loan spent in Huddersfield would once again ignite excitement.
By the time Smith Rowe returned to the Emirates, he was ready to not only make an impact, but become the driving force behind new success in north London.
If you ask Arsenal fans to picture the 2021/22 season, they will envision a fresh-faced Smith Rowe scoring goal after goal – establishing himself as one of the best creators in the squad.
The midfielder netted 10 goals in 33 Premier League appearances during the course of the campaign, helping Arsenal achieve a fifth-place finish. In a time of darkness for the club, when all hope seemed to be dwindled, Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and fellow academy star Bukayo Saka offered glimmers of hope and ultimately saved Arsenal’s project from becoming a forgotten dream.
Smith Rowe and Saka formed an unbreakable partnership. While senior players around them raked in big money, these youngsters ruled the pitch, playing simply for the love of the game. They danced around…
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