Arsenal has turned down two bids for Emile Smith Rowe from Fulham and Crystal Palace, as the out-of-favour midfielder considers his future this summer.
Smith Rowe established himself as one of Arsenal’s major players in the 2021/22 season, scoring 10 goals and providing two assists in the Premier League.
However, Smith Rowe has been troubled by injuries over the previous two seasons, and the arrivals of Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice have pushed the 23-year-old down the pecking order in north London.
It is thought that Arsenal are now willing to allow Smith Rowe depart and are considering bids for the player, who came through the club’s youth before making his first-team debut in 2018.
According to Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth, Fulham and Palace have both signalled their interest in signing Smith Rowe and lodged initial bids for the England international.
However, it’s claimed both offers were rejected out of hand and Arsenal’s two London rivals are deciding whether or not to return with improved offers before the transfer deadline.
Smith Rowe knows he may have to leave his boyhood team in order to secure regular playing time next season and has been assessing his options. The attacking midfielder’s current contract at the Emirates runs through to the summer of 2026.
Smith Rowe has made 115 appearances for Arsenal since his breakthrough six years ago but has not made a start since the side’s 2-0 win over Luton back in March.
‘I love him as a player, he is a joy to watch,’ Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said of Smith Rowe after the victory.
‘How he moves, changes direction and how physical he was today without the ball. He went into duels and won a lot of them.
‘He was thinking with that killer instinct to play forward and make things happen. When Emile is in that moment, it’s very difficult to stop him. Today he helped us a lot to win the game.’
There has also been speculation over the future of Eddie Nketiah this summer and Tony Adams believes both players should be ‘looking to move’ in order to rejuvenate their careers.
‘If I have one criticism is he [Arteta] has not used them enough,’ the ex-Arsenal and England captain told Sky Sports last month.
‘Bukayo Saka, you hardly ever see him come off, it’s 90 minutes after 90 minutes after 90 minutes.
‘When you have the games won, it’s 2-0 after 70 minutes, get him off. Get Smith Rowe on to develop him. I think they have gone a bit stagnant.
‘Both, if I was them, I would be looking to move. Arteta needs to work with them and give them more time. But that depends if we get another centre forward.
‘But I do think he needs to rotate Saka more than he’s doing.’