Arsenal youngster Emile Smith Rowe has opened up on the conversations he has had with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta during lockdown as he prepares to resume the 2019/20 season on loan at Huddersfield Town.
The 19-year-old made the temporary switch to Yorkshire in January and he has already made 10 league appearances.
Smith Rowe became Arsenal's youngster scorer since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when he scored in the Europa League in 2018.
He still has much to prove before he can force his way into Arteta's first-team plans, but Arteta is clearly aware of Smith Rowe's talents and has been in conversation with the player over areas in which he can continue to improve.
“We have kept in touch during the lockdown and we have gone through some clips,” Smith Rowe told The National. “He has told me what I need to improve on.”
While the young midfielder is enjoying his loan spell in the Championship, he doesn't know whether he will return for another spell next season, or if he will have the opportunity to return to the Emirates and push for first-team experience there.
"Nothing has been confirmed yet,” he continued. “The main thing is to finish the season with Huddersfield as strong and as well as I can and then go back to Arsenal in pre-season and we will see what happens.”
So what about his Arsenal future? What does he make of the Gunners' approach with youth? Who does he look up to? And what does he want to achieve at the Emirates?
“Even when I was growing up in the academy there were always young players getting chances – Jack Wilshere, Alex Iwobi - so it is good at Arsenal," he said.
“I look up to Mesut Ozil a lot. I watch him in training and the movement he has and the little touches he does. For me to train with him every day, I can’t think of anything better.
“My dream was always to play for Arsenal. I used to watch Thierry Henry a lot. Dennis Bergkamp was definitely a player I always looked up to. We play in a similar position. Freddie Ljungberg was there and he is working at Arsenal now, helping all the young players."
