Arsenal are reportedly looking to sell their No.10 Smith Rowe for around £25 million, while 'London derby' rivals Fulham are interested in signing Smith Rowe this summer.
Smith Rowe came through the Arsenal academy and entered the first team around the same time as Bukayo Saka. In the 2021-22 season, Smith Rowe had a very good performance. But over the past two seasons, Smith Rowe's performances have dropped dramatically. Affected by injury, he has started just three games in the Premier League over the past two seasons.
Smith Rowe's highlight season came in the 21/22 season, when he played 33 Premier League games for Arsenal, scoring 10 goals and providing two assists. At that time, Arteta was in a managerial crisis, and it was the explosion of two academy youngsters, Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, that finally saved the Spaniard's position.
Following a highlight of the 2021-22 season, Smith Rowe signed a five-year contract with Arsenal and changed his shirt number from 32 to 10. However, over the next two seasons, Smith Rowe was hampered by injuries and the squad and fell out of favour under Mikel Arteta, gradually falling off the bench.
With playing time hard to come by at Arsenal, there has been a lot of talk about a move for Smith Rowe in this year's summer window. The 23-year-old is reportedly a 'priority' target for Fulham in the summer transfer window, with Gunners reporter Charles Watts estimating that Smith Rowe will be paid no less than £25 million.
Charles Watts admitted in his column that Smith Rowe is "expected" to leave Arsenal this summer and that "there is a lot of interest from clubs in the Premier League and overseas". Charles Watts has also suggested that Smith Rowe join city side Fulham.
'Smith Rowe's future will be one of Arsenal's hot topics this summer. I do want him to leave and I know there is interest in him from clubs in the Premier League and abroad. If he does leave Arsenal, he would prefer to stay in England and the link with Fulham is certainly interesting. It's going to be a lot of good for him. It's a London club that has been playing well under Marco Silva and has a squad full of Gunners veterans such as former Gunners stars Alex Iwobi, Bernd Leno and Willian.
For Smith Rowe, if he does leave, the key is that he wants to get consistent minutes. He has made just three starts in the Premier League in the past two seasons. For a player of his calibre and age, it's simply not enough. Now is a good time to transfer.
I think Arsenal should be able to receive at least £25 million in transfer fees on him. I know he's got injury problems but he's young, he's an English homegrown player and he's shown he's capable of making a big difference in the Premier League. I don't think Smith Rowe's transfer fee will be less than £25 million.