Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira wasn't the only welcome sight in training on Tuesday as Emile Smith Rowe was also present as he looks to put a month of frustration behind him.
Like the £30m summer signing from Porto, the Gunners no.10 didn't have much of a pre-season. After playing the first half against FC Nurnberg he didn't feature in any of the games on the USA tour against Everton, Orlando City and Chelsea - despite travelling - and also sat out the Emirates Cup win over Sevilla.
Then just days before Arsenal kicked off the new Premier League season against Crystal Palace it was reported that Smith Rowe would miss out because of a groin problem and that proved to be the case as he watched on from the sidelines as his teammates secured a hard fought 2-0 victory at Selhurst Park.
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Furthermore, football.london understands the attacking midfielder was due to be involved in the U21s match against Manchester United last weekend but didn't feature and that will raise more questions with regards to his current fitness situation which has been a concern amongst supporters in recent months.
To Smith Rowe's credit, he is well aware that he must overcome these challenges in order to fulfill his enormous potential: "I have been quite unfortunate with injuries and stuff," he said at Arsenal's away kit launch party. "It’s just (about) trying to overcome that now and trying to stay as fit as possible. Hopefully I can get back fit soon."
And as expected, the 22-year-old has returned to full training ahead of Saturday's game against Leicester City and he will have a point to prove as he looks to get some minutes under his belt that would hopefully push him closer to realising a life-long dream come November time.
"Yeah, of course. I think it’s every kid’s dream to play in a World Cup," Smith Rowe told reporters last month. "But I just want to get as fit as possible and when I do come back, hopefully I can get as many minutes as possible to show what I can do. And then we’ll see what happens."
Amid FIFA's announcement that plans for every nation to name a 26-man squad for the tournament in Qatar have been approved, this is certainly an incentive for Smith Rowe and he, in particular, can benefit from the Premier League's decision to allow teams to use up to five substitutes per match.
There was a period last season where the midfielder was beginning to perfect the role of a 'super sub' after scoring in successive games against West Ham United, Leeds United and Norwich City. Of course, Smith Rowe will want to be a starter, but if he can replicate that impact from the bench then there's no reason he won't catch the eye of England manager Gareth Southgate.
Considering how last season ended and the fact the Gunners no.10 is currently lacking in fitness and match sharpness, it's safe to say he's behind Gabriel Martinelli in the pecking order for the left-hand side of the attack. However, there's an argument that the Brazilian is not a guaranteed starter like Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka when Mikel Arteta has a fully fit squad.
It's worth noting that Smith Rowe did outscore Martinelli last season, so the battle for the left-wing spot is far from over and he could benefit from Arsenal's return to the Europa League as there will be even more opportunities to start and stake his claim to be a regular once again.
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