Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta left Emile Smith Rowe out of their friendly against Bournemouth in Los Angeles amid reports linking the midfielder with a move to Fulham.
Reports claim the Cottagers are on the verge of signing the 23-year-old in a £35million deal.
Arteta admitted Smith Rowe was omitted from the 1-1 draw due to discussions about his future.
“There are things happening in the background at the moment. We decided the best thing to do was to keep him away from the game today,” said the Spaniard.
Smith Rowe played only 346 minutes in the Premier League last season, making just three starts, with a knee injury ruling him out for six weeks in October.
The midfielder has won three senior England caps, the last in March 2022, but he was a member of the squad which won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship last summer.
