The ridiculous rumours are already doing the rounds!
The transfer window hasn’t officially opened yet and already the Arsenal fans are getting a good laugh at the end of what has been a tough season.
The Telegraph is reporting that Arsenal and Aston Villa seem to be interested in a possible swap deal for Jack Grealish and Emile Smith-Rowe.
Now I know we are used to ridiculous transfer rumours throughout a season, but this is just on another level and I cannot help but laugh about it.
Why Arsenal would want to swap Smith-Rowe for Grealish is beyond me. And I am not saying Grealish is not a good player because he is, and if we didn’t have Smith-Rowe then I wouldn’t be disappointed if we went in for him, but why would you want two identical players when ideally you should opt for similar but not exactly the same.
Smith-Rowe did as much to quash rumours of an exit back in February when he said; “I cant really describe the feeling to be honest. Being an Arsenal fan from such a young age, getting an opportunity to help put on the Arsenal shirt and step out on that pitch, there’s really no better feeling for me.”
Of course, as an Arsenal fan over the years you begin to realise that for some players words are just that, words. And over time, ambitions and money overtake any loyalty and passion.
But I would like to hope that from a young Arsenal fan who came through the academy, that his words are actually genuine and that he sticks by the club that has given him such an amazing opportunity from a young age.
Plus, Villa already took Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal and are reportedly after our target Emi Buendia as well. So really what I want to say is Villa, I think you have caused Arsenal enough trouble over the past year, so please let us get our targeted players and leave Smith-Rowe well alone!
Shenel Osman
well i know its a speculation, but jack is on a different dimension compared to ESR who is still building, should the worse come to worse, Jack over ESR for me, we need immidiate result above all, we have a rich pipe of youngsters waiting….
No chance Villa want to swap. They have matched our £30m bid for Buendia and clearly want a replacement for Jack who they are going to sell to the highest bidder. Like Zaha, if they dont sell for £65m upwards this summer, the value will be down to £40m in 18 months.
ESR should sign a contract extension and he’ll be playing for England with Saka next year
Well all I’ve got to say is Emi came because he could see the state you’re club is in atm and tbh there’s more chance of Jack playing for Birmingham City than coming to you lot 🤣🤣🤣
Your moniker suits you down to the ground
Without wishing to upset, 2 things :
1-There is no planet on which this would be a swap deal. The two players’ values are galaxies apart.
2-There is also Zero chance of Arsenal signing Grealish this summer.
Despite Arsenal’s obvious superiority over Villa in the last decade, your situation is currently not great (ownership, lack of investment vs other ‘Big 6’ clubs, unhappy fan base). Meanwhile Villa are on an upward trajectory being heavily backed in the transfer market by VERY wealthy owners.
Whilst everyone expects Smith-Rowe to stay at Arsenal, I would suggest the key issue is one of unhappiness that a club your fanbase sees as ‘beneath you’ has the impudence to consider poaching one of your talented yougsters – a situation Villa have found themselves in all too often in the past!
You’re havin a tin bath!
Once Arsenal were criticized for being a “feeder club” selling its developed players; now the discussion has transformed into Arsenal foregoing its future, by selling its Academy graduates and young prospects.
Currently Arsenal wouldn’t know a good footballer if they tripped over one. Clubs like Aston Villa are lining up to take advantage of that perception, that everybody is for sale.
You can laugh all you want….This is a genuine threat for all of our decent players if we don’t have a good start to our new season.
I remember say almost the same this time when they were linked to a certain goalkeeper for £20m they got him for £17m. Let not laugh too soon!
I rate ESR very highly and for me he has been he has saved Artetas skin and I would be very annoyed if we were to let him go,rumour or no rumour he give me much hope for the new season along with Saka,as far as Grealish goes I love watching this guy play and nothing would give me great pleasure than to see players of his quality at Arsenal but all in all I have to say i would rather keep Emille ,it would be criminal to let a player leave that has given such service and loves the club, and who has bags of talent being home grown and working through the academy. For me Grealish is the best creative midfielder in the country and Emille the next best.
Jack is a great player but just think about ESR, talented. Can’t he 1day be like Jack for AFC? NO! LEAVE ESR ALONE!
Its like succrificing your own son, who loves you so much, for someone who may not love and serve to your expectation.
This news might not be real! Arsenal has nothing to give to both Villa & Jack this season . LET ESR BE ALONE! Stop it.
It just shows how low we as a club have sunk due to the driftwood and deadwood we accumulated all these years that clubs outside the top four are eyeing our brightest talent rather than the likes of Elneny or Kolasinac. The swap will/may never happen, but it is a bold thought by Villa. If City or Pool come calling for Saka or ESR, can we hold them back? Pity, Mikel’s problems keep compounding each day!
this could easily happen, so i will reserve my laughter for now. with the way our club is run anything is possible, this would not surprise me in the least.the lunatics are running the asylum,after all, it appears.
I concur with your thoughts Gerry….whether it’s Villa or another suitor, it certainly wouldn’t be a shock to see our current management team sell ESR, should they receive an offer that equals or exceeds their own valuation of the player…it’s important to remember that ESR got his chance due to a desperate situation and even though he flourished playing centrally, our manager sought out a Loan arrangement for Ode, who clearly received assurances, which led to ESR being shoehorned out wide…this tells me that Mikel doesn’t rate the kid to the same extent as some fans currently do, which is likely why he hasn’t signed a new deal as the numbers probably reflect Arteta’s more modest valuation