Mikel Arteta reiterated how grateful he is to Emile Smith Rowe for the role he played in transforming Arsenal’s fortunes ahead of his first game against his old club.
The Hale End Academy graduate made his breakthrough under Arteta four years ago at a time when the Spaniard’s position was under threat.
Alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, Smith Rowe’s youthful exuberance helped turned the tide at set the Gunners on course for a major revival.
Injuries, allied to the signing of Martin Odegaard meant the England international’s influence waned to the extent where he was reduced to a bit-part rolein each of the last two seasons.
Faced with another year of playing second fiddle to the club captain, Smith Rowe pressed for a move and the subsequent transfer to Fulham has suited all parties.
Ahead of this weekend’s reunion at Craven Cottage, Arteta reserved special praise for the in-form midfielder and said: ‘It was obviously a very tough decision to let Emile go and especially because I feel really grateful what he did for the club and for me in a period of time where I think he was instrumental to change something around it.
‘At the end players have to play. He had a lot of difficult moments as well, a lot of struggles with injuries when we were together.
‘He needed a fresh start. It is normal and we understood that and we allowed him to go.’
Ironically, Odegaard’s injury, which saw him miss 12 games, would have presented Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira, who has joined Porto on loan, the opportunities they craved.
Arteta, however insists he does not regret allowing either player to depart given the chance it has provided him with to promote 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.
The teenager has made an eye-catching impact in recent weeks and Arteta is confident there is more to come from Nwaneri.
He said: ‘We allowed Fabio to as well because we wanted to create the room and space for Ethan. He has given us every reason to trust him.
‘He has shown he’s ready to make the next step and it’s great to have him’
MORE: Enzo Maresca sends warning to Chelsea star after dropping him from first-team
MORE: Mikel Arteta responds to Arsenal being labelled ‘the new Stoke City’
MORE: Ibrahima Konate, Alisson Becker and more Liverpool injury updates from Arne Gadgets