Arsenal have been dealt a major blow as the club have confirmed that midfielder Emile Smith Rowe will be out until December after undergoing surgery for a damaged groin.
The 22-year-old had not started yet for the Gunners this season, racking up just 47 Premier League minutes from the bench. After his side’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester United, he pulled up in the warm-down and had to leave the group, with an issue that emerged to have been plaguing him since the back end of the 21/22 season.
“Following a significant setback at our Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 4, and after further specialist consultations and discussions with our medical team, Emile underwent surgery to repair a damaged tendon in his groin”, a club statement confirmed.
“This successful surgery took place in London in the past few days and Emile’s rehabilitation programme is already underway. We are hopeful that Emile will return to full training in December.”
The surgery also puts pay to any hopes that the youngster had harboured of making it to the World Cup in November, with Gareth Southgate having handed him his debut last season but leaving him out of his two most recent squads.
More pressingly, it leaves Arsenal looking somewhat light in forward areas, with Gabriel Martinelli now having no real rotation option to compound the fact that, on the other side, Saka faces the same issue.
Alternatively, Gabriel Jesus could move to the wide area, with Eddie Nketiah restored to the no.9 spot. With 9 games in October, however, Mikel Arteta’s side look somewhat light.
