Arsenal expected to sell Emile Smith Rowe to London rivals with reluctance
07/25/2024 05:59 AM
Fulham are confident of completing a move for Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, talkSPORT understands.
The Cottagers are close to agreeing a club record deal worth £35million with the Gunners reluctantly willing to allow Smith Rowe to leave.
The 23-year-old came through the club's academy and has made 115 appearances, but has struggled to get game time in the last two seasons.
He managed just 346 minutes in the Premier League last season, having been sidelined with a knee injury at the end of last year.
Gabriel Martinelli has cemented his place on the left wing, restricting Smith Rowe to substitute appearances.
The last of his England appearances came in 2022 and he has slipped out of the squad since struggling to find his place in the Gunners starting line-up.
Smith Rowe did travel with Arsenal on their pre-season tour of the US, but he did not feature in the match with Bournemouth overnight.
On Smith Rowe's future, manager Mikel Arteta said: "Yeah there are things happening in the background at the moment.
“We decided the best thing to do was to keep him away from the game today."
The £35m fee would surpass Fulham's previous record of £27m they paid for the Ivory Coast midfielder Jean Michaël Seri in 2018.
Crystal Palace were among the clubs keen to sign Smith Rowe, but their west London rivals appear to have won the race.
Fulham also look set to beat Palace to another signing too, with Ryan Sessegnon likely to sign on a free transfer.
Sessegnon had been training with the Eagles following his release from Tottenham.
For Arsenal, Smith Rowe could be one of a number of exits from the Emirates this summer with Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson also in talks over an exit.
There will be incomings for Arteta, however, with Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori likely to sign from Bologna.
