Report: Premier League Rivals Eyeing Emile Smith Rowe Move, Being ‘Discussed’

By The Editor
on 12th October 2023

Newcastle United have been linked with a January move for Emile Smith Rowe…

Premier League rivals Newcastle United are contemplating a move for Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe ahead of the January window, The Northern Echo reports.

Smith Rowe has struggled to get regular game time this season despite being told by Mikel Arteta that he was still a crucial part of his plans.

The 23-year-old was heavily linked with a move away before the window officially opened last summer, but it was reported that Arteta made it clear to the player and his representatives that he was wanted at Arsenal.

🚨 Arsenal have no intention of letting Emile Smith Rowe depart this summer. 22yo contracted until 2026 + important part of #AFC plans. After injury-hit campaign, hope is he shines at #U21EURO & in pre-season before big 23/24. W/ @ArtdeRoche @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/sRSk7zzE6E

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) May 30, 2023

The Hale End graduate has three years remaining on his current contract which may have contributed to the club’s stance, especially coming off the back of an injury-ravaged campaign.

According to the report, Smith Rowe is being ‘discussed’ internally by the decision-makers at St James’s Park, though a formal approach hasn’t been made.

Arteta justified Smith Rowe’s lack of minutes in the early part of the season as a symptom of a lack of games with the team playing one game per week, but the Spaniard claimed the coming months would be different.

“We have just one game per week for a month,” the boss explained earlier this season.

“Everyone comes to the new season with huge aspirations and there are not minutes for everybody and September will be very different.”

With the team now competing in three different competitions, not much has changed for the playmaker – with his only start coming in the Carabao Cup tie at Brentford.

There’s clearly something in Smith Rowe’s game that no longer brings a level a trust towards the manager and his coaching staff. If the situation persists ahead of the winter window, it will be interesting to see how the club responds to any approach.

At the end of the day, every player has a price and after a record spending spree last summer, balancing the books is still the order of the day. In the current climate, selling homegrown talent seems to be a trend that positively affects FFP.