"The perfect step for my career going forward" - Ex-Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe details reason for joining PL rivals Fulham

Emile Smith Rowe has opened up on his decision to join Fulham upon his switch to Craven Cottage from Arsenal. The 24-year-old has joined Marco Silva's side this summer in a deal potentially worth £34 million.

The England international slipped down the pecking order of Mikel Arteta over the last two seasons despite showing plenty of promise in his early days. He made just 34 appearances across competitions amidst various injury issues in the last two seasons. The versatile attacking midfielder has signed a five-year deal at the Craven Cottage with an option for another year.

While discussing his decision to join the Cottagers, Smith Rowe admitted that he was frustrated because of his struggles for playing time at Arsenal. He has revealed that he is excited to have joined Fulham's project. Smith Rowe said, as quoted by The Standard:

“It’s been a tough couple of seasons for me, so I think it was important I had to feel at home somewhere else. I am really to happy be here and I can’t wait to get started. I’m finally here, so I’m really happy for me and my family – it’s a good moment. I’m really excited, I just wanted to get here as quickly as possible so I could get going with my team-mates."

The Englishman added:

“Listening to the project, speaking to the manager, and seeing what players we have here already, I think it’s an exciting project for me, and definitely the perfect step for my career going forward. I am very excited. He (Marco Silva) spoke to me and straight away I could tell he is very confident in how he wants to play. He is very straight to the point and I am really excited.”

Smith Rowe was heavily linked with a move away from Arsenal following his struggles for game time in the last two seasons. He only played just 671 minutes of first-team football in that time.

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Pundit believes former Arsenal star will be successful at Fulham

Pundit Stan Collymore has insisted that Emile Smith Rowe will live up to the expectations at Fulham upon his switch from Arsenal. The 24-year-old has completed a £34 million move to Craven Cottage from the Emirates.

Collymore believes that Mikel Arteta didn't utilize Smith Rowe well enough just like Aaron Ramsdale. He told Caught Offside:

“Fulham’s a great club, they’ve got all of the facilities that a high-profile player would want, and Emile Smith Rowe wouldn’t have to move very far. I think it’s just a case of he’s been underused, and when you have a manager like Mikel Arteta, just as he did with Aaron Ramsdale, once you cross the line into being a player that he doesn’t want."

"He’s not one of those that goes ‘everybody’s got a clean slate here, and we’re going to use lots of different players during the season,’ Arteta has got his ideas who he wants, and based on the ones that he doesn’t want, he expects them then to be moved on fairly quickly."

Collymore added:

"I think Fulham will be a revelation for Smith Rowe, and as long as he doesn’t go ‘I’ve come down a step because I was at Arsenal, now I’m at Fulham,’ everything is there for him to progress.”

Smith Rowe made a total of 115 appearances for Arsenal having come through the club's youth ranks. He contributed with 18 goals and 13 assists and emerged as a key player under Mikel Arteta initially before falling down the pecking order.