Former Gunner explains why he had to leave Arsenal to be happy | OneFootball

In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, Emile Smith Rowe has detailed the reasons behind his move away from Arsenal, citing the need to play regular football and regain his happiness.

After years of injury setbacks and limited opportunities, the midfielder felt he needed a fresh start.

‘I’m a monster’ – Emile Smith Rowe in The Telegraph, 18 October 2024

Smith Rowe, who joined Arsenal at the age of nine and rose through the ranks of the Hale End academy, became a fan favourite, particularly after his breakthrough season alongside Bukayo Saka in 2020-21.

He even inherited the iconic No10 shirt following Mesut Ozil‘s departure, a sign of his growing importance at the club.

However, his last two seasons saw injuries hinder his progress, and Smith Rowe found himself struggling for game time.

PRESTON, ENGLAND: Emile Smith Rowe of Fulham during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Preston North End and Fulham at Deepdale on September 17, 2024. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

“For the last two seasons I haven’t played as much as I wanted, and it was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to be happy again,” Smith Rowe explained.

“Sometimes you have to think of the best for yourself. I always want to put my club first, but at the same time I have to make myself happy. It was probably the toughest decision I’ve had to make, but I spoke to my family, and we decided it was the best thing for me.”

The decision to leave Arsenal was not an easy one, but Smith Rowe emphasised there were no hard feelings. “Coming through the academy, all you want to do is just play for your club, and when you are not getting the opportunities, there is only so much you can take,” he said.

Despite moving on, he remains supportive of the Gunners and still keeps in touch with some of his former teammates. “It’s all love,” he added.

Arsenal’s English midfielder #10 Emile Smith Rowe (R) controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Luton Town at the Emirates Stadium in London on April 3, 2024. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Since joining Fulham, Smith Rowe has started to rediscover his form, scoring his first Premier League goal since 2022 in a win over Leicester City.

“It’s hard to explain the feeling,” he said. “Just knowing that you have scored the goal and everyone is looking at you — I have really missed that feeling. It’s literally addictive.”

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 04: Emile Smith Rowe of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and AFC Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on March 04, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Reflecting on his time at Arsenal, Smith Rowe acknowledged the challenges he faced, particularly with injuries, and the patience required as Arsenal competed for the Premier League title. “Ups and downs with injuries and then getting back fit and not getting the opportunities I obviously wanted,” he said.

“But at the same time, Arsenal were pushing to win the league. So I had to wait and be patient. It was really tough.”

Smith Rowe appears settled and happy with his decision to move, and he is focused on enjoying his football again. “Yeah, I can’t really speak highly enough of everything around me: the club, all the staff. I am really happy,” Smith Rowe said of his time at Fulham. “There’s a massive smile on my face.”

While Arsenal retained a 10% sell-on clause in the deal, there is no buy-back option.