The summer transfer window is still in its infancy, but there are already a few interesting narratives emerging.
One thing that seems to be a very intriguing situation is the rivalry that is slowly but surely forming between Arsenal and Aston Villa.
Indeed, the Villans beat the Gunners to the signing of Emi Buendia earlier this summer, and now they’re reportedly keen to sign Emile Smith Rowe from the London club.
A couple of years ago, Villa beating Arsenal to signings and poaching one of their most talented young players would have seemed preposterous, but the balance of power has shifted, and the Gunners may only have themselves to blame.
You so often hear about so-called ‘domino effects’ in the transfer window, and Arsenal may be caught in the midst of a dangerous situation which they partially caused themselves.
Cast your mind back to last summer, Arsenal sold Emi Martinez to Aston Villa, and thanks, in part, to the Argentine’s performances this season, that were described as ‘amazing’ by Micah Richards, Villa managed to secure a respectable Premier League finish, making them a much more alluring destination for any potential transfer targets, and allowing them to remain in a strong position to keep hold of their star players, such as Jack Grealish.
One of those targets was of course Buendia, who Martinez reportedly directly contacted in order to convince him to choose Villa over Arsenal, and after the arrival of Buendia, the Villans’ squad looks so much stronger.
For any attacking player, the idea of playing alongside Buendia and Grealish is surely very tempting at this point, and the question you now have to ask is whether or not Emile Smith Rowe would be tempted by this.
Yes, Smith Rowe has been a key player for Arsenal this term, but with the Gunners reportedly chasing a new number 10, such as James Maddison, his spot in the XI seemingly isn’t secure.
Whereas at Villa, he could star in a central role alongside Buendia and Grealish, who are two of the most talented creative players in the country, meaning that they must be an absolute dream to play alongside.
Would Villa be in a position to keep hold of Grealish this summer and sign Buendia if they hadn’t secured a deal for Martinez 12 months ago? Perhaps not.
If Smith Rowe decides that he’d quite like to play for Dean Smith’s side, then the Gunners’ decision to sell Martinez to the Midlands club may have played a part in making Villa Park a potentially desirable destination for one of their brightest young talents.
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