It’s hard to imagine that Arsenal could be thriving in this manner without the man who finished last season as their top scorer in the league, but that is the situation we find ourselves in.

Not too long ago, it was Martinelli who’s future was being questioned, with some fans skeptical he could even fill in for Smith-Rowe, never mind make the place his own. Right now though, Martinelli is having the season of his life and battling with Rashford for the crown of the leagues best performing left-winger. Dropping him is out of the question.

With this in mind, where does Emile Smith-Rowe fit in? A talented young player such as him does need regular minutes, and whilst there will be plenty to go around next season as Arsenal look to compete on multiple fronts, Trossard has also likely leapfrogged him in the pecking order. Smith-Rowe will not want to be a third choice option at this stage in his career, and neither does he deserve to be.

However, his saving grace may be his versatility. Often deemed a #10 in his younger days, Smith-Rowe is more than capable of operating centrally, and has been tipped by many to transition into one of Arsenals advanced #8s.

Whilst he doesn’t possess the defensive ability of Xhaka, we have seen Xhaka replaced with Fabio Vieira at various points this season, and Smith-Rowe can fill this role in a similar way. Additionally, unlike Vieira and Ødegaard, Smith-Rowe is right-footed. Many fans, including myself, have speculated we could see Ødegaard shifted to the left in the future, freeing up the right 8 spot for Smith-Rowe, or a new player in the Xhaka mould, who are available more abundantly with a right-foot preference.

The Achilles heel in Smith-Rowe’s career thus far has been his tendency pick up injuries as his career ignites, but much like Reiss Nelson, he will hope to put those troubles behind him and cement his place at the club.

One thing is for sure, whether out-wide, centrally, or even as a false-9, a fully fit Smith-Rowe is an excellent problem for Arteta to have.