‘So good’: Pundit says Arsenal have a youngster who’s ‘Paul Scholes in the making’

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Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe has been praised by Optus Sport pundit Andy Townsend, who thinks the Gunners ace could become the next Paul Scholes.

The 20-year-old, long considered one of the best young talents at Hale End, has finally made his breakthrough in the Gunners first team.

Arteta used the playmaker sparingly earlier in the season but, with Arsenal in dire straits up until Christmas, opted to start him in the Premier League meeting with Chelsea.

Smith Rowe justified his inclusion as he helped the Gunners run out 3-1 winners, and since then he’s become one of the first names on Arteta’s team sheet.

He has made 15 competitive senior appearances this season, including 10 Premier League starts, and was once again superb in Sunday’s 4-2 win over Leeds.

Deployed out wide instead of at No. 10, Smith Rowe worked tirelessly defensively and provided a great pass to setup Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for his hat-trick.

“When I look at Smith Rowe, they have a better one (than Martin Odegaard) there already,” Townsend told Optus Sport.

“That young man is so good, he has got great awareness… he is Paul Scholes in the making.

“He can play as a 10, he showed today he can play off one side and come inside, he has got that fantastic ability, awareness, of what is going on around him – not all young players have that.”

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Football.london claimed last year that, in Smith Rowe, “Arsenal already have their Mesut Ozil successor amid creativity concerns in Arteta’s squad”, not to mention the youngster enjoys playing at No. 10 the most and idolises the 2014 World Cup winner.

Already Smith Rowe has effectively taken what was once Ozil’s role in the Arsenal squad, and now this comparison with the great Scholes, a Manchester United and England legend, shows just how much he has impressed pundits and how much potential he has.