Arsenal have reportedly begun contract negotiations with playmaker Emile Smith Rowe.

The Hale End youth product struggled for game time during the first half of the season, but he has since established himself as an integral member of Mikel Arteta's team.

Smith Rowe boasts two goals and seven assists across all tournaments this season, and the Gunners supposedly want to tie him down to fresh terms as a reward for his performances.

According to The Athletic, the 20-year-old has now entered talks with the club over a new deal, and there is optimism on both sides that an agreement can be reached with minimal fuss.

The Gunners recently tied Folarin Balogun down to a new long-term deal following a protracted contract saga, but Smith Rowe is not due to become a free agent until 2023.

Meanwhile, Arteta has supposedly identified seven players that he is willing to sell this summer in order to finance a squad rebuild.