Wright sends a Smith Rowe transfer warning to Arsenal

The 20-year-old breakout star delivered another impressive performance to steer Arsenal to victory over Newcastle in the FA Cup.

Ian Wright fears another Serge Gnabry saga is on the horizon with Emile Smith Rowe if Arsenal continue with the underperforming Willian and Nicolas Pepe.

The memory of Gnabry slipping through Arsenal’s grasp is still a sore one for many supporters. The German joined the club as a youngster in 2011, but a lack of first-team opportunities saw him leave five years later.

Fast forward to 2021, Gnabry is now arguably one of the finest players in Europe and helped Bayern Munich win a treble last season.

Gnabry on his Arsenal spell: "Taking a big risk. Growing as a person. Growing as a footballer. Taking on new challenges and being away from my comfort zone, from my family my friends and my school. I think it helped me grow quicker as a person. It made me much tougher" pic.twitter.com/8fF3JEybzt

— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) January 10, 2021

And Wright fears Smith Rowe could take a leaf out of Gnabry’s book if Mikel Arteta doesn’t continue starting him in his midfield.

“It must be brilliant going into training at the moment for someone like Emile Smith Rowe,” said the Arsenal legend on the Wrighty’s House Podcast.

“He’s somebody who has had his injuries, he’s gone on loan, he’s done his stuff. For me, Smith Rowe has paid his dues out there, waiting for his chance.

“I think that what Mikel has done now, the timing with which he’s done it, is absolutely perfect because I think if Smith Rowe doesn’t get into this team, at this stage, and they carry on doing what they’re doing and persisting with people who are not performing at the levels they should – whether it’s Willian or Pepe – I think you lose him.

“Especially with January being here, and then we’ve got a Serge Gnabry on our hands.”

Smith Rowe featured for the fourth game in succession in Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie with Newcastle United. He broke the deadlock in extra-time before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored another to seal a 2-0 win.