'I decided I had to quit Arsenal after family meeting - I had to be happy again’

Emile Smith Rowe near Arsenal for Fulham successful the summertime aft increasing unhappy astatine his deficiency of crippled clip successful the last 2 years of his 14-year enactment with the Gunners

Emile Smith Rowe has opened up astir his determination to permission Arsenal for Fulham - admitting it was the "toughest determination I've had to make".

The 24-year-old midfielder, who joined the Gunners successful 2010 and became a cardinal subordinate nether Mikel Arteta during the 2020/21 season, revealed helium yet feels blessed again aft making the determination to westbound London.

Despite enjoying the champion play of his vocation with 10 Premier League goals successful 33 games a twelvemonth later, injuries and aggravated contention constricted his crippled clip successful the pursuing years.

He played conscionable 25 league games combined successful his past 2 seasons astatine the Emirates earlier deciding to permission his puerility nine for Fulham successful a woody that could beryllium worthy up to £34million.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Smith Rowe said: "For the past 2 seasons I haven't played arsenic overmuch arsenic I wanted to and it was ever successful the backmost of my caput that I wanted to beryllium blessed again, I wanted to beryllium playing, reports Football London.

"Sometimes you person to deliberation of the champion for yourself. I ever privation to enactment my nine archetypal but, astatine the aforesaid time, I person to marque myself happy. It was astir apt the toughest determination I've had to marque (to leave). But I spoke to my household and we decided it was the champion happening for me."

Smith Rowe has deed the crushed moving astatine Craven Cottage, netting 2 goals successful 7 appearances with his caller nine sitting astatine an awesome eighth spot successful the Premier League table.

The young prima is evidently buzzing months aft his move, adding: "Yeah, I can't truly talk highly capable of everything astir me: the club, each the staff. I americium truly happy. There's a monolithic grin connected my face."

Smith Rowe's eagerness to lace up for the Cottagers was joined by an allure towards Fulham's blueprint laid retired by brag Marco Silva, who impressed him with discussions astir the state he'd beryllium afforded connected the pitch.

Reflecting connected his decision, Smith Rowe said: "Just the task that the manager (Marco Silva) spoke to maine about, I spoke to him successful the summertime and we had a truly bully speech astir the opportunities I would get, wherever I would beryllium playing and the state to explicit myself.

"That truly sucked maine into the project, it was chiefly that and knowing determination were immoderate players present already that I knew would assistance maine settee in."

Fulham, who suffered a adjacent 3-2 decision against Manchester City earlier the planetary break, are gearing up for their adjacent fixture connected Saturday (October 19), wherever they anticipation to topple an impressive-looking Aston Villa.

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