Emile Smith Rowe: The prince that never became king

On a chilly day in September 2018, Arsenal travelled to Ukraine to face Vorskla in the Europa League, and it was on this day that a prince was unleashed.

Emile Smith Rowe, a player that embodied everything that the north London club stood for, made his senior debut and found the back of the net with his first goal just two weeks later. Word of his success ricocheted across the footballing world, and soon everyone wanted to see more of this young star in action.

Croydon's answer to Dennis Bergkamp first joined Arsenal aged 10, heading to the club's Hale End academy with dreams of becoming a Premier League star. Immediately, he was different. Smith Rowe simply stood out among an extremely talented group of players, boasting immense levels of dedication and heart.

In 2016, he earned a place in the U18 team, and two years later he gained another promotion into the U23 squad. His success at this level was remarkable, and before long Smith Rowe had helped his side become Premier League champions at youth level.

Fans started to believe that this achievement could foreshadow future success on the senior stage and called for Smith Rowe to be included in first-team plans.

However, then-manager Unai Emery knew the midfielder needed more time to develop before he was thrown into the limelight and decided to send Smith Rowe on loan to RB Leipzig. His time in Germany wasn't quite what fans expected, but a further loan spent in Huddersfield would once again ignite excitement.

By the time Smith Rowe returned to the Emirates, he was ready to not only make an impact, but become the driving force behind new success in north London.

If you ask Arsenal fans to picture the 2021/22 season, they will envision a fresh-faced Smith Rowe scoring goal after goal - establishing himself as one of the best creators in the squad.

The midfielder netted 10 goals in 33 Premier League appearances during the course of the campaign, helping Arsenal achieve a fifth-place finish. In a time of darkness for the club, when all hope seemed to be dwindled, Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and fellow academy star Bukayo Saka offered glimmers of hope and ultimately saved Arsenal's project from becoming a forgotten dream.

Smith Rowe and Saka formed an unbreakable partnership. While senior players around them raked in big money, these youngsters ruled the pitch, playing simply for the love of the game. They danced around opponents with ease, bringing hope back to a club who had waited so long for success.

It was at this time that Jamie Carragher hailed Smith Rowe as 'the best player in the Premier League running with the ball', famously branding him as a 'joy to watch'. It was a sentiment echoed by many legends of the game, with Gary Neville claiming he had 'everything that you'd want in a player'.

Could Smith Rowe be Arsenal's ticket to the title? Could he end their wait for major silverware?

Before long, cracks began to show and hearts began to break. The 2022/23 campaign would signal the beginning of the end for Smith Rowe.

He was unable to score a single goal in the next campaign. In fact, he made just 15 appearances, forced to warm the bench for a great deal of the season. It was clear that the player was experiencing discomfort on the pitch, and soon the club announced that he would undergo groin surgery on a damaged tendon.

Smith Rowe spent time working hard in rehabilitation, desperate to return to the pitch and carry Arsenal back into the Champions League.

But, when his time came, suddenly all his teammates had caught up. Smith Rowe's place in the squad was no longer reserved for him, as Mikel Arteta crafted a talented group of players that could keep up with one another.

He was no longer the star on the field, and instead found himself battling for a place in attack. The 2023/24 season would bring new opportunities - or so he thought. In his first league start of the campaign - a 5-0 win over Sheffield United - he picked up another knee injury, knocking back all the hard work he had put in to regain fitness over the summer.

Smith Rowe's world came crashing down, and by the end of the campaign he had made just 19 appearances, yet again without any goals. His heartbreaking tale resonated with fans across the world, who were desperate to see him rediscover his smile.

Fast forward to August 2024 and Emile Smith Rowe has made the move to Fulham. The west London side offered a club record fee of £27m plus £7m add ons as they look to rewrite the player's story, ensuring that he has a happy ending in London.

Smith Rowe leaves the Emirates as one of the club's most loved players of all time. He is adored by fans old and new and will soon close his 14-year chapter as a Gunner. He's brought endless replaceable memories to fans, reminding them that a club like Arsenal can dare to dream.

He was never able to fulfil his destiny of lifting a Premier League trophy with Arsenal, but poured his heart and soul into the club from the moment he donned a red shirt.

He leaves behind the number 10 shirt - once worn by promising stars such as Jack Wilshere, Robin van Persie and Paul Merson.

The prince that never became king. The baller that brought hope back to Arsenal. Farewell Smith Rowe, may Fulham bring you the chances that Arsenal simply couldn't.

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