As per a report from David Ornstein of The Athletic, Arsenal have rejected a second bid from Aston Villa for Emile Smith-Rowe.
The 20-year-old broke through for the Gunners last season and quickly established himself as one of their best players. Villa had bid for the Englishman last week, but it was rejected, and they have decided to come back again.
According to the report, the Villans made a new offer in the region of £30 million and the north Londoners made it clear that the midfielder is not for sale. Smith-Rowe is currently in negotiations to sign a new contract, but an agreement has not yet been reached.
This has encouraged Villa to come back with their new bid and the report states that they are not discouraged by the Gunners’ refusal. They look at Smith-Rowe as cover for Jack Grealish who could be on his way to Manchester City.
Arsenal News View
Arsenal are doing the right thing by refusing to sell and it probably is only a matter of time before the midfielder signs an extension. Securing the future of players such as the Englishman is important.
The Gunners have been on the right track with regards to this, in the last year or so. They have signed extensions with young talents such as Kieran Tierney, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Folarin Balogun. As we saw in the second half of last season, Smith-Rowe developed into an important part of the north Londoners’ setup. His passing, speed of thought, and ball control proved to be transformative to the team’s fortunes.
If he had been introduced earlier, the team could have finished higher up the table. After years of letting their best players move to rivals, it appears that the Gunners are learning their lessons.
But just to be safe, it would be better if the midfielder puts pen to paper on that new contract soon. That way, it will send a message to those looking to buy the Englishman. Arsenal need to hold their resolve with regards to the Smith-Rowe situation and they are doing that at the moment.
