Journalist Sam Dean has expressed his concern about the long-term future of Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe, as the Englishman has fallen down the pecking order at the club.

What's going on with Smith Rowe?

The England international was sidelined for most of the season with a long-term injury but has made his return to the Arsenal matchday squad in recent weeks as Mikel Arteta's side challenge for the Premier League title.

However, he is yet to start a Premier League game this campaign, and was an unused substitute in Arsenal's last two matches, with Fabio Vieira and Leandro Trossard now ahead of him in the pecking order.

Speaking on The Arsenal Beat Podcast, Dean claimed that this lack of playing time for the 22-year-old may cause some worry about where he sees his long-term future.

He said: "I think the future seems quite uncertain for Emile Smith Rowe right now. Not tactically, but more generally.

"He's not really getting a look-in at the moment. Even when Arsenal were 3-0 up against Fulham and cruising, he didn't get on the pitch. [Against Sporting CP], they were chasing a winner, needed fresh legs and a bit more creativity, and again, he didn't come on the pitch.

"Obviously, he's had fitness issues as we know this season and there have been niggles on his return, which has kind of stopped him really building that trajectory and building up momentum that a player needs physically.

"But I do think it's concerning that he's clearly fallen behind Fabio Vieira in the pecking order attacking midfielder-wise, and he's very much behind Martinelli and probably Trossard too, on the left, which does raise questions about his long-term future – which sounds ridiculous given how important he was to the team last season."

Could Smith Rowe leave Arsenal?

Given the length of his injury, it was always the case that Smith Rowe would be eased back into the side slowly, despite his previous importance to the team.

Smith Rowe has scored 18 goals for Arsenal since graduating from the academy, and was instrumental in helping Arteta turn his side's form around in the 2021/22 season.

He scored 11 times last term, and his versatility means he can play in midfield as well as the front three. Once he eventually finds his fitness, he could prove to be like a new signing in Arsenal's tough run-in towards the end of the season.

Although the arrivals of Trossard and Vieira have made minutes harder to come by for Smith Rowe, he could be the ideal successor to Granit Xhaka as an advanced central midfielder alongside Martin Odegaard in the long term, and if he can stay fit, it is probably just a matter of time before he is playing a more regular role again.