Stunning West Ham hijack underway, with Arsenal star targeted and rival Prem move facing ruin
Emile Smith Rowe and Nuno Tavares line up before Arsenal match
West Ham United have reportedly set their sights on Arsenal ace Emile Smith Rowe, with his transfer to another Premier League side now under serious threat.
Smith Rowe struggled to have a major impact on Arsenal during their push for the Premier League title last season. He was limited to just 14 appearances and two assists in all competitions due to undergoing groin surgery and a fierce battle for starting places under Mikel Arteta.
The manager ended up using a midfield three of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard in a majority of games, while also selecting Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli out wide. This left no room for Smith Rowe.
The 23-year-old’s struggles have continued in the new campaign, as he has only managed three minutes of action so far. He came off the bench late on in the Community Shield win over Manchester City and has yet to appear in the league.
On Monday, it surprisingly emerged that Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea are interested in signing Smith Rowe to bolster Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
The Times provided an update on Smith Rowe’s situation on Tuesday. They revealed he is up for sale at the Emirates after the club spent big money on the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber. The report also claimed Smith Rowe’s price tag to be £40million.
Football Insider have now provided their information on Smith Rowe’s prospective move out of Arsenal. They state West Ham are plotting a stunning hijack of Chelsea’s swoop for the England U21 international, as the Irons have ‘registered their interest’ in his services.
Football Insider also reinforce previous claims that Arsenal have told Smith Rowe he is free to leave before the summer transfer window shuts on Friday. This is because he is behind Odegaard, Havertz and even Fabio Vieira in the battle for Arsenal’s playmaker role.
West Ham, Chelsea both want Arsenal man
This new report claims Arsenal could end up accepting slightly less than £40m for Smith Rowe, with their asking price now sitting at between £35-40m.
The Daily Mail go one step further when providing the latest on Chelsea’s push for Smith Rowe. They reveal the Blues have had an approach for him ‘knocked back’ by Arsenal, with West Ham seemingly now the frontrunners to complete a shock deal.
Smith Rowe could end up being a fantastic signing for David Moyes and West Ham. He is a supreme young talent with the ability to both score goals and create them when his confidence is high. Things may not have gone well for him at Arsenal recently, but Smith Rowe can enjoy a fresh start at the London Stadium.
Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed which player will leave Arsenal before Smith Rowe, as a deal has been agreed.
