Newcastle transfer meeting booked in as links to £60m Arsenal playmaker gather pace
Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley could sanction a move for Emile Smith Rowe
Newcastle United chiefs are to meet in the coming days to outline their strategic clear plan for the January transfer window and beyond and amid reports they are considering a surprise move to prise frustrated Emile Smith Rowe away from Arsenal.
The Tyneside club have enjoyed a meteoric rise since PIF’s takeover at St James’ Park just over two years ago. Buying a club that were in the lower reaches of the Premier League at the time, Newcastle are now in the Champions League and roasting European elite such as PSG 4-1 in front of a packed home crowd.
Their rise is largely down to the excellent coaching of Eddie Howe, who has undoubtedly done a magnificent job in turning around their fortunes which resulted in a Carabao Cup final appearance last season, together with a fourth place finish in the Premier League which brought UCL football back to Tyneside after a 20-year absence.
However, PIF have also backed Howe with some really astute signings along the way. And while the club has kept within their FFP limitations, prized additions such as Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier, Alexander Isak and Sandro Tonali have outlined their intentions and helped make the club the force it is today.
Indeed, so good has Guimaraes been that Newcastle just recently pinned the Brazilian down to a bumper new deal that raises his exit clause to around the £100m mark.
Keeping their best players is all part of PIF’s strategy to retain Newcastle’s place among the elite, with the club hoping they can finish back in the European places again this season.
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Newcastle consider move for Emile Smith Rowe
However, the club are also looking for further players who can come in and enhance Howe’s squad. To that end, the i claims Newcastle’s board members, including co owners Amanda Staveley, her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, and the club’s chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, will meet in the coming days to discuss their plans for the January window.
Unlike previous January windows – most notably the one just after they took over in January 2022 and where the club was in a clear need of an injection of quality – Newcastle are expected to have a relatively modest approach to the January 2024 window.
To that end, most of their spending plans will be held back until the summer window with Howe and Co indicating their preference for a quality over quantity approach to potential arrivals.
As a result, Newcastle could still make a move for one or two stars if the opportunity presents itself to Newcastle and the price is deemed right.
However, as we revealed last month, up to six players could depart St James’ Park – including popular stars Emil Krafth and Javier Manquillo – as Howe looks to move on a number of players deemed surplus to requirements.
Star would cost Newcastle a hefty fee from Arsenal
In terms of incomings, one man who is of growing interest to Howe is Arsenal attacking midfielder Smith Rowe, who has found the going tough in recent times at Emirates Stadium.
The homegrown star finds himself on the periphery of the first team with Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Fabio Vieira all competing for similar roles in the side.
In an ideal world, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta would love to keep Smith Rowe, with the player hugely appreciated by the Spaniard. However, he is well aware that a lack of first-team football will become a growing problem for a player, who still harbours hopes of breaking back into the England squad for the 2024 European Championships.
To that end, Smith Rowe has made clear his intentions to fight for his place at Arsenal. However, the situation could change come January if he finds he is not getting more game time and if a move elsewhere becomes a realistic possbility.
That is where Newcastle could come in and they may move to battle fellow suitors West Ham United for his signature.
Any move, however, would not come cheap. Sources have indicated to TEAMtalk that Smith Rowe is valued at £60m by the Gunners, with Mason Mount’s £55m summer move to Manchester United seen as the yardstick.
Mount departed Chelsea with just a year left on his deal; by contrast, Smith Rowe’s arrangement still runs to 2026 and it is for that reason why Arsenal would not sell the player on the cheap.
Whether Newcastle follow up and actually make a move remains to be seen. However, Howe has made no secret of his wish to add more goals to his midfield and Smith Rowe is one type of player in their squad that they do currently lack. If the price is right, the Magpies may follow up their initial interest with a firm move.
