Arsenal attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe is surely leaving the club this summer and Fulham could be a transfer that ticks a lot of boxes for him, according to Gunners writer Charles Watts.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest weekly column in the Daily Briefing, Watts explained that Smith Rowe should cost at least £25million this summer, with anything less than that for the England international likely to be seen as disappointing business for the Gunners.
Smith Rowe struggled for playing time at Arsenal in the season just gone, while injuries held him back the year before, so it surely now makes sense for both parties if they go their separate ways.
The 23-year-old is surely good enough to play more regularly for a club like Fulham, or a number of others in the Premier League, so it will be interesting to see how this saga develops.
For the time being, Watts admits he can see Smith Rowe leaving and that Fulham could be a good move for him so he can stay in London and link up with some former teammates.
Smith Rowe transfer to Fulham makes sense, says Arsenal expert
“Emile Smith Rowe’s future is going to be one of the ongoing stories of the summer at Arsenal. I do expect him to go and I know there is plenty of interest in him, both from clubs in the Premier League and abroad,” Watts said.
“His preference, if he does leave Arsenal, is to stay in England and the links to Fulham are certainly interesting. It would tick a lot of boxes for him. It’s a London club, they look to play decent football under Marco Silva and he already knows some players in the squad, such as former Gunners stars Alex Iwobi, Bernd Leno and Willian.
“The key thing for Smith Rowe, if he does leave, is that he wants some stability and he wants to start playing regularly again. He’s had three Premier League starts in the last two seasons. For a player of his quality and age, that is simply not enough. The timing just feels right for a move.
“I think Arsenal should be looking for at least £25m for him. I know he’s had his injury issues, but he’s young, homegrown and has shown he has the quality to make a big difference in the Premier League. Arsenal need to start showing they can get good value for their players and I think anything under £25m for Smith Rowe would be disappointing business.”