Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe is reportedly nearing a move to Fulham after being left out of our friendly against Bournemouth last night in Los Angeles. Reports were saying that the Cottagers are close to securing the 23-year-old midfielder for £35 million.
The Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta earlier confirmed that Smith Rowe’s omission was due to ongoing transfer discussions, when he said: “There are things happening in the background at the moment and we decided the best thing to do was keep him away from the game today.”
But now that has been (practically) confirmed by the respected Arsenal guru David Ornstein, who tweeted….
Smith Rowe, who has faced injury challenges and limited playtime, has made just three Premier League starts since August 2022. Despite his early promise, including 12 goals in 53 league appearances during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, injuries have hindered his progress. Last season, he played only 346 minutes in the Premier League, with a knee injury sidelining him for six weeks in October.
Fulham, having had a £30 million bid rejected, returned with a £35 million offer including add-ons, aiming to surpass their previous record transfer of £27 million for Jean Michaël Seri in 2018. If finalized, the deal would be a significant profit for Arsenal, as Smith Rowe is an academy product, and would match their record sale of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Smith Rowe has won three senior England caps and was part of the squad that won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship last summer. His potential move marks a pivotal moment for both clubs and a new chapter in his career. Arsenal fans will find it a bittersweet moment, seeing a homegrown talent depart and a lifelong Gooner having to moce away.
Hopefully we will add a buyback clause if possible….
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