Arsenal has been given a small scare ahead of their match against Norwich City this weekend after Emile Smith Rowe was sent home from the England Under-21 camp.
The midfielder is one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted men and had been away with the England youth team during this international break.
He would have expected to have enjoyed his time with the Three Lions, but Sun Sports reports that they have sent him home from their camp because of an illness.
The England Under-21 faced off with Kosovo yesterday and Smith Rowe wasn’t in the team with their manager, Lee Carsley, confirming that he has left the camp.
Carsley told Sky Sports via the report: “[Smith Rowe] was just feeling unwell so we decided to send him back to Arsenal.
“He didn’t feel 100 per cent so the best thing to do for Emile was to send him back.”
This will come as a blow to Arsenal and an unwelcome disruption to their plans for the weekend game.
The Gunners need to beat Norwich who is 19th on the league table, just above them, to get their season started.
It is a game that Mikel Arteta will have no excuse for if his team cannot get all three points and he will hope Smith Rowe recovers in time to take part.