Arsenal warm to controversial sale as Edu offers frustrated schemer around after Chelsea interest
Emile Smith Rowe puts his arm round Reiss Nelson after Arsenal win
Arsenal are offering Emile Smith Rowe to other clubs after he became frustrated at a lack of opportunities under Mikel Arteta, according to a report.
Partially because of having to undergo surgery on a groin issue over the Autumn, Smith Rowe last started a Premier League match back in May 2022, so is facing an uncertain future at Arsenal. The likes of Martin Odegaard, Fabio Vieira, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz are ahead of him in the pecking order for a place across the attacking midfield areas.
Recently, the Arsenal academy graduate was revealed to be on Chelsea’s shortlist of potential targets. Now, The Times has provided an update that Smith Rowe is technically up for sale.
After a summer of spending big on players like Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, Arsenal may need to balance the books. Therefore, they could capitalise on any interest in Smith Rowe.
It is claimed that Arsenal, whose transfer operations are overseen by sporting director Edu, are now offering the midfielder to various Premier League clubs in the hope of raising funds from his sale.
While his valuation is not specifically clear, there have been suggestions that Smith Rowe might be worth more than £40m, which would all be profit for Arsenal since he came through their Hale End system.
The no.10 is three short of 100 appearances for the first team at Arsenal, for whom he has scored 18 goals. However, his time at the Emirates Stadium might be coming to an end.
Smith Rowe could make opposite move to Havertz
The Times has not mentioned the clubs he has been offered to so far. If interest from Chelsea is genuine – and it has been reported by a few sources – then he could end up moving in the opposite direction to Havertz after his transfer earlier in the window.
Smith Rowe should be under contract in north London until 2026, but it appears he could be due for a change much sooner.
At the age of 23, and having recently been part of the England under-21 squad that won the European Championship, he will not want his career to stagnate, but that could easily happen if he remains stuck on the bench.
