At some point Aston Villa might make a high enough bid that Arsenal sit their and think “wow, we need to accept that”.
According to David Ornstein, Arsenal have rejected an offering in the region of £30million for Emile Smith Rowe.
That is already huge money for a lad who has started just 19 Premier League games.
What is clear is that Aston Villa are trying to get in replacements for Jack Grealish prior to selling him.
They have already spent big on Emi Buendia from Norwich, and their pursuit of Smith Rowe shows that they are looking to replace Grealish with 2 rather than one.
So how high will Villa be willing to go for Smith Rowe? And will it be high enough?
Smith Rowe was a breath of fresh air last season. His work rate, creativity and attitude, alongside Bukayo Saka, was one of the few positives from a tough season.
But what is also clear is that he is probably not yet ready to play week in week out as Arsenal’s 10.
We bought in Martin Odergaard in January and the pair shared the role. It is likely this summer we will make a permanent signing in that position.
You would expect whoever comes in to be first choice, with Smith Rowe becoming his understudy.
Smith Rowe will still get plenty of play time – and his versatility will be an asset; but at what point do those in charge of Arsenal think to themselves “that is too much money to turn down for a 2nd string player”.
Say Villa bid £40million for Smith Rowe. Arsenal could probably replace him with someone from Europe for half of that. And what if the bid reaches £50million? Or beyond?
That sort of money would finance a move for someone like Houssem Aouar, who is a level above Smith Rowe. We would get change out of the deals leaving us even more money to add further creativity.
To make it clear, I would not want us to sell Smith Rowe. But we would be crazy to turn down that sort of money for a bit-part player with potential.
Every player has his price; I wonder what Smith Rowe’s is…
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
To paraphrase Marvin Gaye …
“Cause Emile, there ain’t no transfer fee high enough”
The price of replacing him is just waaaaaay to high IMHO
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And if we sell and he turns out to be one of the best players in the PL, it will be another classic own goal by Arsenal, get shot of the players we don’t need or want.Eleney,Xhaka,Bellerin,Willian,Holding,Lacazette, start believing in the youth and the future Balogun, Martinelli,Saka,Smith Rowe,Gabriel, ,Tierney Saliba
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He was not a second player. Arteta rather brought in Odegaard who was not better and shifted ESR to the wing
Arteta will sell all Hale End players given a chance
He’s brought down Arsenal to a level where Villa can poach our players
Sack Arteta and Edu. They’re useless. If they sell ESR, be sure Saka will be off next season
You can’t even recognize Arsenal anymore with managers like Arteta , Edu and Martesacker working hard to bring the club down
I don’t Agree with you that we sell our own developed players and bring in mercenaries
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i think you are missing the point or rather you are debating with yourself. when did ESR become a 2nd string or a bit part player. who was understudy to whom between him and Ordegaard. Being shifted to the flank is a sign of VERSATILITY not second string. Arsenal needs the lad.
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Please if Smith Rowe want to sign let him sign if he don’t want to sign let him be plain on the other hand if Arsenal want to give him a new contact let them do so than prolonging it this is a two ways thing but one thing Smith Rowe must know any other club that take him away from Arsenal now may not develop him like Arsenal would have done so is left for him to decide right now in the near future Bukayo Saka will bi everyone’s lips because he is a talented player that will go places
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