Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has urged Emile Smith Rowe to play the long game in his career.
After being overlooked by England, Arteta has told the player, who spent the 2019-20 campaign on loan with Huddersfield in the Championship, he must up his game another notch again if he really wants to bang down the door.
Arteta said: “He needs to show consistency and again increase his level.
“There are players who have played 300 games in this league and never played for the national team.
“We want everything to be so quick.
“Be patient. It's the first year, really, that he's having these consecutive performances and appearances, at a level where you are really considering that option.
"It doesn't have to happen straightaway — sometimes that's not good.
“He does have the character to take this message on board.
“He has shown through his career, in moments when he had to go a step sideways to now be in a position that he is in, he can do it.
“He did it in a really convincing way and a humble way.
“If he continues like that we know that he has the talent, he was the work ethic, he has the personality and the ability to do so.
“It will come."
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