The Athletic recently reported that Aston Villa have failed with their second bid worth around £30m for Arsenal youngster Emile Smith Rowe this summer. It has been revealed that the Gunners are unwilling to let go of their prized asset which could make it difficult for the Villans to recruit the English playmaker in this off-season (via The Athletic).
Smith Rowe’s Solid Season At North London
Smith Rowe enjoyed a fruitful season at the Emirates Stadium as he made himself an important member of Mikel Arteta’s squad. The 20-year-old made 33 appearances for the North London giants in the previous campaign, scoring seven goals and securing seven assists across multiple competitions.
The English talent showed some signs of maturity by averaging 0.7 shots, 1.2 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League and the UEFA Europa League. He even exchanged possession quite well with his teammates in the opposition half, as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 87.8% in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
Smith Rowe is yet to agree on a new contract with his current deal at Arsenal set to expire in the summer of 2023. Hence, it is no surprise that the Gunners are unwilling to give him up despite Aston Villa’s attempts to recruit him ahead of the new campaign.
Should The Villans Make Another Offer For Smith Rowe This Summer?
Smith Rowe is a quick and agile attacker who can make some tireless runs with the ball towards the opposition penalty box. He has a knack for engineering a few decent openings in the attacking third. The English starlet loves to arrive late into the penalty area and can even chip in by scoring some crucial goals for his team. Smith Rowe has often been unleashed in the number ten position but can also play as a left-sided wide player if needed. His ability to score and create goals coupled with his versatility makes him a good fit for Aston Villa this summer.
Hence, the Villans would be wise to go all out to acquire the services of the talented playmaker as he will undoubtedly add some creativity and goals to Dean Smith’s attacking department. Plus, the Aston Villa boss could be the perfect man to make the most out of Smith Rowe’s talents in the coming seasons.
At 20, the London-born prospect still has plenty of time to mature into a top talent in English football. Therefore, the West Midlands club should think about making another attempt to convince Arsenal to sell Smith Rowe as he could become a real fan-favorite at Villa Park in the years to come.
