Former Aston Villa striker, Frank McAvennie believes that Arsenal will successfully keep Emile Smith Rowe despite interest from Aston Villa because he wouldn’t want to leave London.
The English youngster has been the subject of interest from the ambitious Villans in this transfer window.
Arsenal has turned down their approach so far and we expect the Gunners to tie him down to a new contract, instead.
The Athletic reported that the Gunners have rejected another approach from Jack Grealish’s club, but it doesn’t seem like they will give up on signing him.
Nevertheless, McAvennie says Croydon-born Smith Rowe will most likely choose to stay at Arsenal because it is his town and his family and girlfriend will probably want to remain in the English capital.
McAvennie said to Football Insider: “He might be happy with them rejecting it.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to go to Birmingham and he’s happy in London. Maybe his family and his girlfriend are happy in London.
“I’m not going to criticise Birmingham because I loved it down there [Birmingham] but, for some people, London is the be-all and end-all.
“That could be one reason for it. It’s cosmopolitan in London and you can walk around without anyone bothering you.”
Smith Rowe only broke into the Arsenal first-team late last year, but he did well last season and they expect him to play an even more prominent role at the Emirates in the next campaign.
