“Out of the blue” – Reiss Nelson admits Arsenal squad were hit ‘pretty hard’ by one summer exit

Reiss Nelson has admitted the departure of Emile Smith Rowe in the summer was a particularly hard one to take for the Arsenal squad. 

Just like Nelson, Smith Rowe is a product of the Arsenal youth system and played 115 times for the club between 2018 and 2024 — notching 18 goals and 13 assists picking up two Community Shield medals.

However, not helped by injuries, Smith Rowe was never able to fully establish himself as a regular starter at the Emirates.

After a 2023/24 campaign in which he started just three Premier League matches, Smith Rowe made a transfer to Fulham for £27m, rising to £34m with add-ons (per BBC Sport).

“I can’t remember an actual, exact moment, but for the last two seasons I haven’t played as much as I wanted to and it was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to be happy again,” Smith Rowe said of his move.

“I wanted to be playing. Sometimes you have to think of the best for yourself. I always want to put my club first but at the same time, I have to make myself happy.

“It was probably the toughest decision I’ve had to make (to leave). But I spoke to my family and we decided it was the best thing for me.”

Nelson opens up on emotional Emile Smith Rowe departure

Smith Rowe is already enjoying success at Craven Cottage, scoring twice and providing one assist in eight Premier League appearances.

His former Arsenal teammates will undoubtedly be happy for him but Nelson — who ended up following Smith Rowe to Craven Cottage less than a month later — still admits it was tough to see him leave the Emirates.

“Having Emile at the club already was a big plus. It was nice to see his face again, because he left in pre-season,” he said (via TBR).

“Just out of the blue which was pretty hard for us to see because we’d been together for a long time and over the last three or four years we’d connected on that deeper level.”