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Mikel Arteta says seeing one player leave Arsenal made him ‘really sad’
Arsenal have done some good business in this summer’s transfer window.
The Gunners have turned David Raya’s loan into a permanent deal and signed Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna. Now, Mikel Merino is on the verge of joining Arsenal too.
That is very good work, but Arsenal deserve some praise for their outgoings as well. The likes of Mika Biereth, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Amario Cozier-Duberry and Reuell Walters have all been moved on.
To add to that, Emile Smith Rowe has left the club too for big money. Arteta has delivered his verdict on the Englishman’s move.
Mikel Arteta shares what happened during Emile Smith Rowe’s Arsenal exit talks
Arsenal sold Smith Rowe to Fulham in a deal worth £34 million earlier in August.
The versatile midfielder was an absolute fan favourite at the Emirates. He was loved by everyone in and around the club, and he will be missed.
Smith Rowe has had a great start to life at Fulham. He scored twice in pre-season, and he didn’t have a bad game on his competitive debut against Manchester United last weekend either.
Arsenal have moved on from Smith Rowe for now, but the fact that he has left the club still seems to be hurting Mikel Arteta.
The Arsenal manager was asked about Smith Rowe’s departure in his press conference on Friday, and he admitted that he felt ‘really sad’ when he spoke to the player.
Arteta further admitted that he feels he didn’t get the best out of Smith Rowe at Arsenal.
When asked if he felt sad to see Smith Rowe leave Arsenal, Arteta said, as per : “A lot. When I had the talk with Emile, I really felt it.
“First of all because I have huge gratitude because he came into the team at a tough moment. I think he was the player that made our supporters and the team click, in a way. I don’t know how to explain it but that was my feeling.
“Something changed when he came in the team. He created a different energy straight away. And I have a feeling like ‘argh’, that I have not got the best out of him. Obviously, a lot of things happened in that time.
“From my side, it was really sad because I know how those boys feel when they are in that building, how hard everyone works to get them close to the first team, so I feel a huge responsibility to give them the chance. And now, can they sustain this level and make us better? That is the idea.”
READ MORE: Roy Keane predicts how Emile Smith Rowe will perform at Fulham after leaving Arsenal
Emile Smith Rowe saved Arteta’s job at Arsenal
Arteta has made Arsenal one of the best teams in the world now, but things weren’t easy early on in his career as the club’s manager.
In his first full season at the Emirates, the Spaniard was under enormous pressure after a terrible start to the 2020/21 campaign.
Arsenal had won just four of their first 14 Premier League games, and there were many people calling for Arteta to be sacked.
On Boxing Day, Arteta gave Smith Rowe a start for the first time in the league that season, and the Englishman had a magnificent game.
Smith Rowe became a regular from that point until the end of the season as Arsenal’s results got much, much better.
If Smith Rowe hadn’t have had the impact that he did, Arsenal may have had to part ways with Arteta at some point in that campaign – just like they did with Emery.
That’s perhaps why the Spaniard has ‘huge gratitude’ towards the midfielder.