Emile Smith Rowe may only have made his first Premier League appearance of the season on Boxing Day, but his performances since then are set to earn him a substantial new contract at Arsenal.
The 20-year-old has been in wonderful form in recent games and a huge part of the Gunners’ resurrgance since Christmas, which has seen them recover from their woeful start to the season.
The youngster from Croydon has proved a creative force in the side and helped Mikel Arteta’s men win four and draw one of their last five Premier League games, scoring 11 goals in the process.
Smith Rowe also came off the bench in the FA Cup third round clash with Newcastle and scored the first goal of the game in extra time as the Gunners went on to win 2-0.
It has been an incredible impact from the 20-year-old, who is keeping the likes of Willian and Nicolas Pepe out of the team and looks in no mood to relinquish his place any time soon, despite the vast cost of the men sat on the substitutes’ bench.
The Daily Mail report that his current contract, worth around £15,000-a-week, is set to be scrapped and he will be handed a new deal worth closer to £40,000-a-week.
It is a similar jump to that enjoyed by fellow youthful standout Bukayo Saka when he signed a new deal with the club last year.
Smith Rowe still has over two years left on his current contract, but now he has been elevated to a first team regular, he will be paid accordingly.
Arteta has been loving the performances of Smith Rowe and Saka of late, with the youngsters providing the spark his team desperately needed.
‘When we are winning they put a smile on my face,’ Arteta said after the 3-0 win over Newcastle on Monday night. ‘I know what they are capable of doing, they are developing really well.
‘The performances they are putting in are extraordinary.’
MORE : Gary Neville explains why Emile Smith Rowe would have thrived in Arsene Wenger’s great Arsenal team
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