Aston Villa revive interest in Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe
According to the latest reports in England, Aston Villa are keen to sign Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe this summer transfer window. Manager Unai Emery is looking to strengthen his squad ahead of next season and has identified the Englishman as a potential target.
Emile Smith Rowe has been at Arsenal since he was a child. He joined the Hale End academy at the age of 10, playing in the youth team until 2018. He was promoted to the senior team after signing a professional contract in 2018. He made his First team debut in September 2018 against Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League.
The 23-year-old spent two loan spells at RB Leipzig and Huddersfield Town from 2018 to 2020 before establishing himself as a key member of the first team. The attacking midfielder has played 115 matches, accumulating 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions (stats via Transfermarkt).
Now, as Give Me Sport reports, Aston Villa have expressed interest in signing Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe this summer. The Lions had already tried to recruit the English midfielder in 2021 but the Gunners rejected their offer. Now the PL side have rekindled their interest in the player.
Villa are looking to bring in reinforcements this summer, with the club set to make their Champions League debut next season. Manager Unai Emery has already worked with the Emirates attacking midfielder and is keen to sign him.
Arsenal and ESR initially seemed like a match made in heaven. But his recurring injury problems have prevented him from developing and maintaining a place in the first team. He was a regular under Mikel Arteta during the early years and fit in perfectly with the Spanish system, but he suffered from injuries and was left out of the starting line-up.
🚨 Aston Villa eyeing Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe amid struggles with Arteta
🗣️ Aston Villa have reportedly reignited their interest in Arsenal playmaker Emile Smith Rowe as he struggles to gain game time under Mikel Arteta.
🗣️ Charles Watts said on his YouTube channel: “He [Arteta] could be able… pic.twitter.com/hiA4fdER97
– Arsenal Informer (@ars_informer) April 24, 2023
The 23-year-old has only played 19 games in the 2023-24 season, accumulating a total of 474 minutes in all competitions (Stats via Transfermarkt). Despite suffering a knee injury in the first half of the season, Arteta has plenty of options up front and his attacking department is stable and thriving.
Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli monopolize the left wing. Bukayo Saka is the undisputed holder on the right. Martin Odegaard leads the central attacking midfielder role. Smith Rowe cannot be guaranteed to start unless the players mentioned above massively underperform.
Additionally, the North Londoners are planning to make major changes to their squad this summer and have put seven players up for sale, including Smith Rowe. The club is largely focused on building a strong new squad for the upcoming season and recruiting suitable replacements will be beneficial for the Spanish boss.
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His skills and potential are beyond doubt and he has proven his worth through his performances on every occasion. However, the English midfielder will not be able to break into Arsenal’s starting XI anytime soon, given the squad’s depth as well as the team’s consistency.
At 23, this is his developmental peak, requiring a lot of playing time. It will certainly be a better choice for Emile Smith Rowe to move to a team where he will have enough first team opportunities and Aston Villa could be a possible destination, with the club also qualifying for the Champions League next season.
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