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Emile Smith Rowe signs new long-term Arsenal contract as Gunners fend off Aston Villa interest
Emile Smith Rowe has ended speculation around his future by signing a new contract with Arsenal.
The midfielder has agreed a long-term deal and has also been handed the No10 shirt.
Smith Rowe has been a target for Aston Villa this summer, who have failed with two bids of £25million and £30m.
Arsenal were always adamant they had no plans to sell the 20-year-old, who came through their academy, and he has now ended talk of him leaving.
Manager Mikel Arteta said: “As we all saw last season, Emile is an intelligent player with excellent ability.
“His sharpness on the turn and exceptional vision have already made him a key player for us. His attitude and willingness to learn have also been very impressive.
“Huge credit to our team in our academy who have given Emile a great education and have worked superbly to help with his development through the age groups.
“Along with the first team staff, huge credit also goes to our senior players, who have played such an important role to help Emile develop, gain confidence and perform the way he did last season.
“I know the fans will join us in being delighted that Emile has committed his future to the club. We’re now looking forward to helping him develop further and seeing him become even more important to the strong young team we’re building.”
Smith Rowe has also taken the vacant No10 shirt, previously worn by Mesut Ozil, as a further indication of his importance to Arsenal.
He broke into the first-team last season around Christmas time and established himself as a key cog in their revival under Mikel Arteta during the second half of the season.
Arteta has big plans for Smith Rowe and he sees him as a crucial part of the club’s future going forward, which is why Arsenal never entertained any bids for him.
Arsenal technical director Edu said: “This is another important step forward for us and we’re all delighted that Emile has signed a new long-term contract.
“It’s great to see another young player develop through our academy system to become a key part of our first team.
“Emile is a player who represents the future of the club and this is why we have given him the No10 shirt.
“We have trust in Emile and we know he has the potential to be a beautiful player for many years to come.”
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