The most unlikely transfer rumour in most Arsenal fans eyes this summer is the possibility of Aston Villa being successful in their bid for Emile Smith-Rowe, who has had an amazing breakthrough season for Arsenal.
But the media, especially in Birmingham, seem to believe that Villa are still intent on getting the 20 year-old to make the move to the Midlands, and Sky Sports reported on Monday that Arsenal had rejected a second bid for Smith-Rowe.
Gooners cannot fail to still be a bit nervous while his new Arsenal contract remains unsigned by him or his representatives, and according to the ex-Villa striker Kevin Phillips, there must be reasons why the Villains have not been discouraged by Arsenal’s rejections.
Phillips was asked by Football Insider if he thought that Arsenal themselves are leaving the door open for further bids, and he replied: “They could be.
“You don’t go in with a third bid unless you are convinced to do it.
“The club will be speaking to the agent and the agent will be speaking to the player.
“We don’t know what’s happening. So much stuff happens with agents at times like this.
“Villa play great football. If they get him they are getting an exciting young player.
“From Arsenal’s point of view, they are letting a young player go and there will be a backlash from the fans.
“Villa are obviously being hugely encouraged by someone. He’s a very good player.”
So could it really be that Arteta is thinking of sacrificing Smith-Rowe to get the funds to buy his own targets?
Or perhaps Smith-Rowe’s agents are telling him that Villa will give him a much higher wage rise than Arsenal will?
Or could the player himself think that Villa are looking much more ambitious than Arsenal at the moment?
Answers on a postcard please….
Forget postcards, even metaphorical ones!
All sensible Gooners know that IF(which won’t happen) Arsenal were to sell ESR, the fans would go to war on our club.
No club, even ours , would be THAT daft.
I am not therefore(being a sensible fan) not remotely concerned.
JUST NOTICED A DAMNING DOUBLE NEGATIVE. IGNORE IT!
You’re right, a certain section of our supporters are against MA as it is can you imagine the furore if he allows ESR to leave, especially to Villa. Can’t see even our club being so stupid.
Arsenal is heavily interested in Renato Sanches.
Ben White will be an Arsenal player and so will Lokonga. Done deal!!! These so called twists and turns have nothing in them.
Emile Smith-Rowe has already agreed a contract.
I like Sanches, but we’ve got too many central midfielders like him. For instance, Partey, Elneny, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Willock, Torreira, Guendouzi and Azeez
Maybe like Party, but the others arent like him. More of a power player with technique(Sanchez)…
Arsenal were booted out from the UCL a few years ago and now from the UEL last season.
Aston Villa are NOT playing in Europe RIGHT NOW. But, based on their performance from last season and with right additions to the squad, they seem to be better equipped to sneak into the European competitions before we do.
Until Arsenal can provide the highest platform for their best players to perform in the continental stage than what’s on offer to them elsewhere, these kind of rumours will never cease.
I suspect that someone who’s interest is closely inter-wind with ESR’s future is drumming this up in the media. Maybe for a lucrative pay cheque or added bonuses.
Whatever that may be, Arsenal must act NOW WITHOUT ANY DELAY.
That is very wrong. There is no way Aston Villa is going to Europe before us. From the way they play, they are good not great, despite all their heroics like season, the supposedly piss poor and worst Arsenal side finished before them, Leeds too. And don’t forget, we might even win another FA Cup soon!
Absolute nonsense. Villa havent been in europe for how many years? As if Arsenal, in london with their massive stadium and fanbase are magically behind villa because journalists pretended we were in for Buendia and now villa are bidding for Smith-Rowe. They literally finished behind us with gods gift to football (according to a lot, he is good just calm your horses) Grealish playing for them. Not to mention the far better GK in Martinez. Must have a rookie a charge to have finished behind us clearly.
Firstly, I will blame kroenke that get us to this level that make Aston villa making an attempt for our good upcoming young player. And secondly if the guy want to go, let him leave, the most important thing right now is for kroenke to spend huge money into squad and return us to the level we suppose to be. Just hope Edu and Arteta can have the fund to buy the right quality players for us.
I blame the Board and senior management for their mismanagement of Arsenal’s financial and player assets. To sell Emile Smith Rowe rather than develop him to his full potential at the Club would be further evidence of this.
Villa are expecting a big payment for Grealish. As a result, they’re looking to fill the void before prices become inflated. Smart business, but no chance with ESR.
Who knows what goes on behind the scenes, or between manager and player.
1. Arteta stumbled upon ESR due to injuries, not due to an eye for talent.
2. Arteta continues to look for a 10; Odegaard last year, Auoar rumors last year, perhaps this Summer too.
3. As a player ESR wants to play, and one could make a good case based on his performances to start.
Without European football, how many games will he get with a new 10?
I think it is smart from the young man; see the club’s commitment to him before extending commitment to the club.
Interesting to see how much playing time and chances youngsters get this year.
Will Martinelli get his chance or will Arteta continue with the lazy mercenary Willian?
Will Balogun and Saliba play more than preseason matches?
Personally I feel Arteta’s time and effort better spent coaching up ESR and Willock to develop characteristics he wants rather than throwing tens of millions away in transfers for players that hold little love for the club.
No excuses this year; can’t blame Ozil anymore, very little left from Wenger era, and our fixture list significantly reduced. Not to mention the majority of team hand picked by Arteta now.
Time to stop constantly chopping lineup; set his 11 and impact subs to bring on.
Most sense I’ve ever seen from an Arsenal fan. 👍
Arteta refused before his injury to loan ESR because he was going to be part of the 1st team. Then he gets injured. Spends the start of the season injured. Comes back from his long injury get played in the Europa to ease him back, Starts a prem game, plays consistently after that. Haters then claim Arteta stumbled into it. Beggars belief. The lies people repeat.
ESR is a real talent and it may be that his agents are doing their work bumping things up.
It may also be that Villa feel that the cash offer will appeal to Arsenal’s management more than said management worries about fan unrest.
The way things are at Arsenal right now I would take a run at us because we don’t clearly know where the boundaries are.
I am optimistic that ESR isn’t going anywhere, especially to Villa.
Nothing will surprise me about the one eye, he already sold our best GK, an almost 10 year investment just like that and a year after that we are look for a new GK. Just like his team selections, sub’s and player management, sometimes so confusing.
LMAO, what a joke of an article. Oh let’s write an article and put Arteta in the front line.
You had to insinuate Arteta might want to sell him to get his own targets even though you know the toxicity that statement will bring on here and how it will promote attacking the manager.
Wow, just wow.
I am with you Eddie. THERE IS NO WAY ARTERTA IS SELLING SMITH ROWE! You can thale that to the bank. Its might juts be a silly media talk or agent trying to encourage Villa so that they can get a better deal. These agents these days are blood sucking worms.
Maybe Smith-Rowe has spoken directly to Dean Smith. Arsenal executives and directors have to convince Smith-Rowe to sign the contract as soon as possible
How the mighty have fallen. Now Villa are coming for our players! I hope this is just BS talks and that ESR commits long term.
As a Villa fan i don’t think the offers are a real attempt to buy him i think its more about showing ambition to our real targets and jack Grealish . If we do get him it will be a massive warning to the football world the the sleeping giant that is Aston Villa have woken up and are hungry .
No offence but your owners seem to have wined and dined a lot of journalists, That or a lot of the powerful fake fans you have (politicians/royalty) are now weighing in for some reason. Either way as a Villa fan you must see it.
Aston villa are getting a reported 100m for Grealish. They’ve gotten Buendia for a reported 33m (38m if you include add ons). They still have over 60m to spend on improving the squad. They’ll be hoping to get EsR for less than 40m and atill pocket a balance of 20m plus. That’ll be good business for them.
Arsenal will be very silly to let that happen. We strengthened them with Emi Martinez last season. If we give them ESR, we’ll be shooting ourselves in the foot.
We need to get ESR to sign the new contract ASAP and focus on improving our squad.
The ignorance in this statement. Firstly, we won’t sell Grealish for £100million. We don’t need the money. Our owners are richer than Kroenke and more importantly, actually care about the club. I totally get why you don’t understand how that’s possible but it is. We can spend £100million without selling anyone and we only need another 1-3 signings to finish above you. Especially with the lunatics running your asylum.
If he signs a new contract will you accept that he believes in Arteta? (have no idea your opinion on arteta but question is relevant to most in the current climate.)
Someone with a brain!
I am one who like Arteta and do want him to succeed at Afc, but if he sells ESR, he better pack Edu in his suitcase and catch the next available flight outta London, because their safety would no longer be guaranteed, not after all these fans have had to endure over the last decade…..just saying, lol
I don’t really get WHY Kroenke is holding on to the club to let it go into decline. Even from a business point of view the club is losing value and money by not being in Europe. He never comes to the club, it is a depreciating asset atm … why doesn’t he just sell it and make us all happy? The only reason to behave in the way he is, is if he has a grudge against Arsenal and it’s fans, which he doesn’t as he couldn’t care a less. He, almost doubled his investment, just sell it before it goes down any more. As for Villa, every time they bid Arsenal should just put in an equivalent bid for Grealish.
If Villa is desperate to buy an Arsenal player, they should take their pick between Willian, Nketia and Elneny. 😉
Well said, GMV 8, well said
If we wanna sell ESR, we should ask from Villa one and a half Ben Whites (in other words, 75m).
P.S- Saw somewhere that Ben White has now become a joke valuation unit(50m) among rival fans, and it was kinda funny so my lame attempts at corny jokes here😅😅
It’s Villa trying to convince the football world they are a bigger club than Arsenal. Their rationale is that they saw us off over Buendia, and with the prospect of losing Grealish, they feel they are morally justified in taking Smith-Rowe, because they are awash with money and are on the up while we are going in the opposite direction, (not true of course, and we finished above them last season). It’s disappointing that we didn’t tell them that we had a verbal contract agreement from the player, and that may have encouraged Villa’s second bid. We cannot sell ESR for any money and not telling them that leads them to think there is a price they can get him for. Failing that, how about ESR + another, eg. Ainsley Maitland-Niles for Grealish.
We were never in for BUendia. How complicated is this for people? Look at Anderlecht haggling over Lokonga for far less in the hopes of bidding war. Villa way overpaid for Buendia because they can’t be sure they would get anyone else that is available cheaper because they are not attrative. Norwich snapped their hand because it was way overpriced.
If Arsenal even considered selling ESR then I would see them as deranged. Along with Bukayo Saka he is about the only joy Arsenal has given to us supporters last season. Are we becoming a ‘souless’ club? There is something that does not feel good happening at our club and it needs to addressed quickly.
Lets be honest Sean you consider both Saka and Tierney as deranged for backing Arteta right?
Angus
What you are saying makes no sense. Just a word salad. Not good.
angus, you speak with fork tongue.