Aston Villa is purportedly leading the rush of Premier League clubs interested in 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe. Smith Rowe’s talent and potential have made him a target for teams looking to reinforce their midfield, even though his injury has curtailed his playing time this season.
Smith Rowe is a valued addition to Aston Villa’s roster, which just won a position in the Champions League for the upcoming season. They first became interested in the midfield player in 2021 after Aston Villa repeatedly attempted to recruit him but were turned down by the Gunners. Smith Rowe only made nine appearances under Unai Emery during his 600 minutes at Arsenal, scoring three goals. The Premier League was the venue for none of those appearances. Still, Smith Rowe was a very young child at the time. For comparison, Smith Rowe’s junior by just 14 months, Bukayo Saka, played less than 850 minutes of Emery (scoring one and dishing out five assists).
Additionally, Smith Rowe is apparently attracting interest from Nottingham Forest, Everton, and Crystal Palace.Although Nottingham Forest and Everton want to avoid another relegation struggle by increasing their attacking options and inventiveness, Crystal Palace wants to bolster their roster with youth and depth. Financial concerns will probably have an impact on Arsenal’s decision over Smith Rowe’s future. The sale of Smith Rowe might give the team the much-needed financial boost ahead of a crucial summer. The club is confined by profit and sustainability criteria. Nevertheless, the choice might become more difficult given his background as a homegrown player and academy graduate.
Aston Villa made two unsuccessful bids in 2021, while Chelsea expressed interest last summer. With Smith Rowe‘s contract running until 2026, Arsenal hold the advantage in negotiations. However, the player’s desire for regular game time, combined with the financial implications of the profit and sustainability rules, could ultimately lead to his departure from the Emirates this summer
