Emile Smith Rowe is expected to leave Arsenal this summer, three seasons after making a good debut for the club in the 2021–22 season, when he scored 10 goals and assisted twice in league games.
Last season, he was, for the better part of the league campaign, fit and available for selection but only played 345 minutes of Premier League football, which was disappointing.
It would be prudent for him to depart; at 23, he ought to be consistently playing, or else he runs the risk of never reaching his full potential. Having said that, don’t you believe Arsenal would need to replace his profile in their squad if he left?
If that’s the case, which players should Arsenal target?
I believe they should look for a young, diverse attacker who can do something extraordinary.
Speaking of ‘such a player’, three immediately come to mind:
1. Xavi Simons (21yo)
2. Eberechi Eze (25yo)
3. Morgan Gibbs White (24yo)
Simons, like Smith Rowe, can play as both a winger and an offensive midfielder. Over the last two seasons, while the Arsenal No. 10 has been warming the bench, the PSG player has captivated Europe with his talent with PSV and RB Leipzig. He is technically gifted, can make accurate passes, and makes sound decisions in the final third. Getting him on loan could be a good move to replace Emile Smith-Rowe.
Morgan Gibbs-White has been a formidable force at Nottingham Forest. His ability to receive the ball while surrounded by opposing players, pivot, and create space is exceptional; few can match it. Sorry to say this, but he’d be an upgrade to Smith Rowe.
Eberechi Eze’s ball control resembles that of an Arsenal player. He doesn’t just lose the ball and is creative; for sure, he could be the LCM Arsenal is looking for. The Crystal Palace star, who was a schoolboy at Arsenal, has a minimum release clause of £60 million. The performance add-ons would increase the release clause by about £8 million.
For around £68 million, you could certainly obtain one of the best players to break down tight defences. He has a desire to play for Arsenal (who released him in his early career), and he may be a significant upgrade for Smith Rowe.
What are your thoughts? Who would you pick if Arsenal replace Emile Smith-Rowe?
Peter Rix
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If its to replace ESR who sits bench always, why would they want to come to our club especially with the very obvious lack of rotation?
Exactly!!!!!!!
Maybe if the quality of the bench would have been better, they would have played more
@Mr Lucky
And they definitely don’t get better by not being played. Just sayin…
Eze would be the best option because he looks better in tight spaces and more press-resistant than Smith-Rowe, but we’ve got Rice, Havertz, Trossard, Vieira, Zinchenko and Nwaneri to play the left-sided AM role
I bet Jesus and Zinchenko will play better than Xhaka ever did in that position, due to their skills and experience
I’ve got bored of saying Zinchenko should be occupying Xhaka’s old role. All that technique and vision without so much defensive responsibility. Especially if Kiwior was at LB.
Simons or Eze would be my choice too, since they both would be able to cover Ødegaards position too, if something would happen to him, so that’s a pretty straightforward decision.
But I might prefer Eze due to his PL-experience and he would help with the home-grown quota.
@Gai. Jesus yes. But Zinny lacks Xhaka physicality and goals scoring attributes.
I will go for MGibbs white
I’d go for Gibbs-White. I had mentioned my admiration of him on JA before.
He is young and home-grown. And the relative uncertainty at Forest may be an incentive for him to want to leave.
Eze is good, but he’s older and may feel that having already made it to the national team, he’s at the right club in Palace. Moreover, he may still be nursing some bitterness against Arsenal for dumping him years ago.
Amadou Onana. Young, huge, great defensively, falls over at the slightest touch. He’s perfect.
Doesn’t Simons belong to PSG, so it’s gonna be big money to prise him away.
Eze had a breakout season for Palace but I can’t see how he fits into the team.
Morgan Gibbs White, why sell Smith Rowe?
Antony Gordon or Olise for me.
Eze or Olise
Amadou Onana
Michael Elise
Manuel Locatelli
Onana doesnt quite convince me quality wise…
I’d keep ESR but give him playing time.
Morgan Gibbs is exactly what we need.
At last some common sense amongst the yawns, Thanks Robert R.
Completely agree with Joe and Robert – We have a class player, who’s over his injuries, but just hasn’t been given playing time!!
Why waste money trying to upgrade ESR, when we need players in other positions and we’re in four competitions next year anyway.
If MA rotates more this coming season, which he’ll have to in order to prevent burn out, all our 25 named squad will have plenty of opportunities.
Do we really expect Odegaard to play in every single game?
i expect ESR to stay, if not the obvious replacement is Nwaneri who deserves a chance and path to first team
lacks experience that any 16 yo would, but has had minutes here and there, and ESR had very few himself
not forgetting we already have Veiria and Havertz who play attacking midfield
so real need to allocate a chunk of our limited transfer kitty to this part of the pitch
so ‘no’ real need
Sadly, who ever replaces ESR will need to have a well padded butt, since they will spend most of their time on the bench!!!