Arsenal legend compares Gunners youngster to Spurs’ Paul Gascoigne 

Former Arsenal midfielder, Emmanuel Petit, has claimed that Emile Smith Rowe reminds him of Tottenham legend Paul Gascoigne.

Gascoigne is widely considered to be one of the most talented footballers England has ever produced.

The midfielder produced some memorable moments in a Spurs shirt, not least his brilliant freekick in the Lilywhites’ 3-1 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley in 1991 on their way to winning the competition for a then-record eighth time. 

Smith Rowe has impressed since breaking into the Gunners side this season and has arguably been Arsenal’s best creative outlet over recent months.

The 20-year-old demonstrated his quality in the North London Derby last month as the Tottenham midfield and backline struggled to cope with his movement. 

It has been revealed that Spurs tried to snap up Smith Rowe as a 16-year-old as the club considered him to be a perfect fit for Mauricio Pochttino’s style of play but eventually failed to convince the youngster to make the move. 

Petit certainly seems to think that Smith Rowe is capable of becoming an elite player, evoking comparisons between the youngster and Gascoigne. 

He told The Evening Standard: “For me, if you look at the last two or three seasons, how many players are exempt of any criticism? Three or four, probably. Kieran Tierney and Bernd Leno.

“I really like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe. The way Smith Rowe plays really reminds me of Paul Gascoigne.”

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