Mikel Arteta told honest Emile Smith Rowe Arsenal transfer truth as buy-back clause explained

Emile Smith Rowe has had a sensational start to his Fulham career after leaving Arsenal in the summer in a deal worth around £34million.

The 24-year-old has contributed three goals and two assists in 13 appearances for Marco Silva's side this season, with the attacking midfielder netting against Crystal Palace right before the November international break. Playing a major role for Arsenal in Mikel Arteta's first few years as Gunners boss, injuries plagued Smith Rowe's career come the end of his time at Emirates Stadium.

The Hale Ender then found it difficult to get back into the team when he was fit, with the likes of Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard ahead of him in the pecking order. The move to Fulham made sense in the summer and now Smith Rowe appears to be getting back to his best.

"He does look good, doesn't he," former Premier League manager Sam Allardyce said about Smith Rowe when appearing on the Seaman Says podcast, via Betway. "I think he's realised just how lucky he is after the injury he had. It was unlucky, the injury, but he has probably thought, 'it's not as easy going as I thought it was, I could be finished anytime'.

"Because he was out for quite a substantial time, and he kept breaking down. So when you get back, you become free mentally as well as physically, then all of a sudden you start really expressing yourself again. With the fact that he's never going to be a regular at Arsenal, he chose the right thing when he decided to go to see Mikel Arteta and said, 'look, I want to go'.

"Because some of us managers keep them hanging on. We can use them now and again and then put them back. You’ve got to be selfish, haven't you? He’s been absolutely brilliant, and scoring."

Smith Rowe's form is likely to lead to questions on whether or not the Gunners have the option of bringing the playmaker back to the Emirates Stadium in the form of a buy-back clause. However, football.london understands that no buy-back clause was included in the deal which saw Smith Rowe move to west London with Fulham earlier this summer. However, Arsenal did include a 10% sell-on clause in the agreement, which could see the Gunners generate some extra revenue in the months - or years - ahead.

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