Mikel Arteta must make a decision in the upcoming summer transfer window between two Arsenal stars who still have plenty to prove.
Mikel Arteta must be ruthless when it comes to taking Arsenal to the next level this summer.
In order to make room in his squad for the players he wants to sign, the Spanish coach will have to let a number of current stars go.
Plenty of Arsenal players may exit the Emirates Stadium in the upcoming transfer window. Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira are both amongst those facing uncertain futures.
Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe still have it all to prove at Arsenal
Arsenal paid £34 million to sign Vieira from Porto in the summer of 2022. The Portuguese playmaker has now spent two seasons in North London, without having ever established himself as a regular starter.
There have been flashes of quality from the 23-year-old. He is supremely technically gifted and an excellent passer of the ball. This season he produced a couple of particularly eye-catching assists against Fulham and Manchester United.
In total, though, he was only afforded 17 appearances across all competitions. This can partly be explained by a groin injury which sidelined him for a period in the middle of the season, but all too often when he did play Vieira failed to impose himself on matches.
Meanwhile, Smith Rowe endured a similarly frustrating campaign. Injuries were less of a factor for the Hale End academy graduate than they have been in recent campaigns, but his place in the pecking order meant that opportunities were still limited for the 23-year-old midfielder.
Overall, Smith Rowe made 19 appearances across all competitions. He is a fan-favourite at the Emirates Stadium, and has shone for the Gunners in the past, but there must now be concerns that his window of opportunity to truly nail down a place in the first team has passed him by.
Arteta has insisted that Smith Rowe remains in his plans, but the three-cap England international needs to be playing regularly at this stage in his career.
Why Mikel Arteta must now decide between Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira
Considering Arsenal are planning to add to their midfield contingent this summer, there will likely only be room for one of either Vieira or Smith Rowe to remain at the club whilst standing any chance of playing more regularly next season.
Arteta will need to make a tough decision between the pair of attacking-midfielders this summer. Whilst Vieira is the more creative of the two, Smith Rowe is a more direct runner and offers real goal threat. The Spanish coach must decide which profile is a better fit for his future plans. One should stay, the other must be moved on.