Arsenal

Emile Smith Rowe included in Arsenal squad for Dubai trip

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 04 December 2022

Emile Smith Rowe is included in Arsenal's squad for their winter trip to Dubai, but Ben White is not involved due to personal reasons.

Arsenal attacker Emile Smith Rowe has been included in a 27-man squad for the Gunners' winter trip to Dubai.

The 22-year-old, who had been plagued by a groin injury for several months before opting to undergo surgery, has only made four appearances for the Premier League leaders this season.

Smith Rowe went under the knife to correct the problem at the end of September after aggravating the issue in the Gunners' 3-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier that month, but he has made good progress in his recovery.

Arsenal announced their 27-man squad for their warm-weather training camp on Sunday, and the England international will be a part of the contingent travelling to the Middle East.

Arsenal will be competing in the Dubai Super Cup alongside AC Milan, Lyon and Liverpool during their training camp, but Smith Rowe is not expected to be ready for the friendly tournament.

Arsenal's Emile Smith Rowe celebrates scoring against Chelsea on April 20, 2022 © Reuters

However, Smith Rowe is reportedly aiming to be back to full fitness in January and will continue to step up his rehabilitation during the remainder of the World Cup break.

A number of Mikel Arteta's regular first-teamers who are not competing at the World Cup join Smith Rowe in the travelling party, with captain Martin Odegaard being one of them.

Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney and Mohamed Elneny are also among the senior players involved, while Rob Holding, Fabio Vieira, Cedric Soares and Albert Sambi Lokonga also make the journey.

Eddie Nketiah and Marquinhos were both on target in a behind-closed-doors defeat to Watford on Saturday, and the pair are also on the plane to Dubai.

As expected, Arteta has included a plethora of up-and-coming academy prospects, including 15-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who became the Premier League's youngest-ever player earlier this season.

Ethan Nwaneri in action for Arsenal in September 2022 © Reuters

Highly-rated defenders Reuell Walters and Lino Sousa join Nwaneri on the plane, as does Catalin Cirjan, who has returned to Under-21s action after missing the whole of last season with a knee injury.

However, there is no place in the travelling party for right-back Ben White, who withdrew from England's World Cup squad for personal reasons last week.

Arsenal will meet Lyon - captained by former striker Alexandre Lacazette - on December 8 in the Dubai Super Cup, and Italian champions Milan lie in wait for the Gunners five days later.

Arteta's men will also take on Juventus at the Emirates Stadium on December 17 before returning to Premier League action with the visit of West Ham United on Boxing Day.

ARSENAL DUBAI SQUAD IN FULL:

Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith-Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Rob Holding, Cedric Soares, Fabio Vieira, Sambi Lokonga, Reiss Nelson, Mohamed Elneny, Marquinhos, Karl Hein (GK), Alex Zinchenko, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Catalin Cirjan, Taylor Foran, Hubert Graczyk (GK), James Hillson (GK), Zane Monlouis, Charles Sagoe Jr, Matt Smith, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Amario Cozier-Duberry, Lino Da Cruz Sousa, Reuell Walters