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Football London
Football London
Sport
Chris Wheatley

Mikel Arteta 'should recall' Arsenal loanee after another Ozil-esque pass

Arsenal loanee Matt Smith has caught the eye of supporters after his passing ability was showcased online.

The 20-year-old midfielder is currently on loan at League One side Swindon Town as he looks to gain experience and game time.

Harlow-born Smith was named on the substitutes bench in the FA Cup last season and played 12 games for the Under-23's, also training with the first team on multiple occasions.

Smith has progressed through the youth ranks at Arsenal having been at the club from the age of seven, signing his first professional contract in February 2019.

He was the subject of praise across social media for a stunning pre-assist he made during an FA Cup defeat to Darlington.

The talented creative midfielder has now repeated the skill with another pin-point assist for Swindon in their 3-0 loss against Accrington on Tuesday night.

Arsenal fans on social media responded to the video with one user saying 'start him immediately' and another tagging the exiled pass-master Mesut Ozil to ask what he thinks of the pass.

“He (Smith) is a pleasure to play with. We get on well on and off the pitch too, and I’m there to help him and all the young boys, " said Swindon midfielder Anthony Grant.

“He plays in my position, so I can help him, but he’s a very good young player who likes to pass forward, get on the ball, and express himself. He’s a joy to play with."

When he signed for Swindon on-loan earlier this year, Smith said: "I'm very excited. I feel like it will be a good experience for me and I'm looking forward to starting the season."

"I feel like I'm going to learn a lot off the manager. He's pretty similar to Mikel Arteta, they're both very encouraging. The gaffer has made me feel welcome and I feel the qualites I have can match the way he wants to play."

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