Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe says Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla helped to develop his game when he trained with the first-team as an academy product.
The Englishman has had an outstanding past twelve months in Arsenal colours and has established himself as a key part of Mikel Arteta's long-term plans to rebuild the club.
With eight goals in the Premier League from midfield this season - with a number of those coming from the substitutes bench - Arsenal's no.10 is already a fan favourite at the Emirates, but he is convinced he wouldn't have got where he is without the help from some of the Gunners' former stars.
In a bid to promote the Arsenal star's new FIFA Ultimate Team Future Stars card, Freddie Ljungberg interviewed Smith Rowe, who spoke about how he was helped by Ozil and Cazorla in training.
"Sometimes the first team players would come down and take some sessions which was good at the time.
"Looking up to them as well and obviously I've got his number now[10], Mesut Ozil, everyone knows how good he is you know, and I'm [then] obviously seeing him in training and doing the things that he's done and yeah just to get an opportunity to be on the same pitch was just crazy at the time.
"There were a few players that definitely helped me at the time," he added.
"The intensity was very high. Obviously the players that were there, Santi Cazorla, Mesut [Ozil] was there as well. So many crazy players at the time. It was a bit surreal to be honest. I couldn't believe I was actually involved in the training session[s] but it was definitely difficult."
Although the former of the two split opinion in his later years in north London, the pair are undeniably two of the most gifted footballers to have played for Arsenal in the post-Highbury era.
Smith Rowe will now be looking to eclipse them both in red and white as he looks to help the club return to its former glory.
