Emile Smith Rowe’s Arsenal future has taken a fresh twist despite the club reportedly revealing the transfer fee that could secure his services.
The attacking midfielder joined Arsenal in 2010 and made his first-team breakthrough in the 2020/21 season under manager Mikel Arteta.
His rise up the Gunners’ ranks was, somewhat, mirrored by Bukayo Saka’s speedy trajectory, as the club looked to youth to improve their fortunes.
So much was the excitement around this academy duo, fans began chanting their names to the tune of Status Quo’s 1977 hit ‘Rockin’ All over the World’.
A five-year deal was struck in the summer of 2021; Smith Rowe was now a regular at Arsenal, he had earned his first England caps, and the future looked bright for the youngster.
Fast forward to the present and while Saka is an established England international and is, arguably, one of the Premier League’s best players, his Arsenal teammate Smith Rowe is in danger of being left behind.
After scoring 11 goals in 37 matches in all competitions in 2021/22, Smith Rowe would play just 14 times in 2022/23 and 19 times in 2023/24.
Of those 19 games, just four of those were starts. And while knee and groin injuries have limited his minutes, it seems his days at the Gunners may be numbered.
Arsenal reveal Smith Rowe price tag
Previous reports suggested Smith Rowe wants to leave Arsenal, but according to The Sun, the former Huddersfield Town loanee will be allowed to exit for £25m – yet he is in ‘no rush’ to depart.
Fulham and Crystal Palace have been linked with the ex-RB Leipzig loanee, with the latter potentially making a move for him if Michael Olise leaves Selhurst Park this summer – with Bayern Munich favourites to sign him.
For Smith Rowe, a fresh start may be the best thing for him to reignite his England career and to get regular football once more.
For Arsenal, in recent years they have not had a great track record of selling players for good fees; often making losses on previous purchases.
With Smith Rowe turning 24 this summer, and the fact that his contract expires in 2026, now might be the best time to try and make as much money on him as they can.
Conversely, Arteta wants to build a squad that has a lot of strength in depth, in order to compete for multiple trophies, and Smith Rowe is a quality option to have off the bench.
Arteta on Smith Rowe’s Arsenal future
Moreover, manager Arteta is clearly still an admirer of Smith Rowe, but it is hard to see where he fits in this Arsenal side – one that is now a Premier League title contender.
When asked if the 23-year-old still has a part to play in his Arsenal project, he said in April: “Yeah. I just look at him and what happened in the last seasons especially, but what happened three seasons [ago] as well. Take all that.
“It is the best thing that could have happened for him in his career – if he uses it the right way now. So, don’t look back and say: ‘Ah, if, if’. No, this happened, use it.
“‘That was the best thing that could have happened, I had great moments, I had difficult moments, now I know what I want, how to deal with that. That is going to make me a much better player’.
“And, you could see, the hell of a player that we have in him when he is fit and he is playing at that level.”
An interesting few months lie ahead for Smith Rowe and Arsenal.
