Huddersfield Town chairman Phil Hodgkinson has revealed they wanted to take Arsenal youngster Emile Smith-Rowe on loan once again this season but were given the cold shoulder by the Gunners.
Smith-Rowe spent six months on loan at the Terriers last season, scoring two goals in 19 appearances in the second half of the campaign.
His success at the John Smith’s Stadium saw the Arsenal youngster targeted for another loan spell at the Championship club but the Gunners wanted him to remain a part of the first team in the capital.
Arsenal were not short of interest in the playmaker and before the deadline the likes of Monaco and Fulham had expressed an interest.
But It was never in Arsenal's plan and particularly never in Arteta's to allow Smith Rowe to depart as Mikel Arteta has deep admiration for the young playmaker.
Speaking to our colleagues at Examiner Live in Huddersfield, Town chairman Hodgkinson said: “We did enquire about some without a shadow of a doubt. “We’d already made it clear to Arsenal before the end of the season that if Emile Smith Rowe was available we wanted him but they wanted him in their first-team squad.”
“It’s a very very different market at the moment. That may change in January and we’ll continue to look at that, and as always if it’s the right player and the right deal then we’ll absolutely consider it.”
Arteta has previously spoken about how impressed he has been with the 20-year-old and how keen he was to work with the midfielder, who made ten appearances for Arsenal last season, in the future.
‘He’s a player with very specific qualities to play in those pockets in that position as an attacking midfielder,’ Arteta said back in June.
“I am excited to work with him. I have been talking with him and I have followed him during his spell on loan. ‘I think he’s someone who can be pretty impressive. I’m pleased by what I’ve seen from him.
“The young players want to be important, they want to take the important numbers, and I like that. ‘It’s a good step, and they can be important in the future, but it’s up to them to decide that.”
Smith-Rowe was, on Monday, named in Arsenal's B list for their Europa League campaign.
As part of the Europa League, every team must name an A list of 25 players who can feature in the group stage of the competition, a list that can be reviewed before the knockout stages.
That list, which Mikel Arteta has already submitted, has to be made up of 17 players with no restrictions and another eight players who are locally-trained players.
Clubs can also name an unlimited number of players on the 'B list' made up of players born on or after 1 January 1998.
