Midfielder told he was once a ‘key player’ for Arsenal, but now he could leave for London rivals

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Arsenal need to fine-tune their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.

Mikel Arteta might need to make a few bold calls once again, which might just result in a few favourites having to leave the club.

Arsenal missed out on the Premier League title last season, but they know they are very close to dethroning Manchester City. 

Declan Rice joined for a club-record fee last summer, whilst Arteta made the brave call to replace Aaron Ramsdale as Arsenal’s main goalkeeper for David Raya.

Those two calls made a difference, as did the form of Kai Havertz because he proved many people wrong, even Andy Murray was raving about Havertz at Arsenal.

But it still wasn’t enough as the Gunners were pipped to English football’s main crown on the last day of the campaign. 

Now, with the summer transfer opened, Arteta is looking to make more changes to his squad, but it would require players to leave.

Arsenal have reached a broad agreement to sign Riccardo Calafiori, sources have told HITC, whilst Barcelona winger Raphinha is being linked again.

But whilst they could enter, Emile Smith Rowe could head for the exit door after injuries and a lack of game time stalled his progress at the club.

Jeff Stelling pointed out how the Hale-End academy product was, once upon a time, a ‘key player’ for his boyhood club, but now that’s no longer the case, as he told talkSPORT (16/07/24 at 7:20 am).

It was suggested that a move to Crystal Palace and Fulham could be on the cards, with Arsenal ‘ready to sell’

Emile Smith Rowe to leave Arsenal?

“Turn the clock back two-and-a-half years and Arsenal academy product, Emile Smith Rowe was a key player,” said Stelling.

“He was even dubbed ‘the Croydon de Bruyne’. I don’t think anybody has ever called Emile Smith Rowe ‘the Croydon de Bruyne’. TalkSport understands that he is a target for Palace and Fulham. The Gunners are ready to sell if an offer reaches their valuation of £30 million.

“He is a young man who has got massive potential. Injuries and then the progression of the Arsenal team just haven’t helped him. Look, he is still just 23. I think there will be plenty of clubs interested in him, not just Palace and Fulham.”

Emile Smith Rowe under Mikel Arteta

It was once suggested that Smith Rowe ‘saved Arteta’s job’ at Arsenal, but now he has to leave the club because he isn’t in his plans anymore.

You can’t blame Arteta because the likes of Martin Odegaard have come in and taken that playmaking role to serious heights.

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Smith Rowe was fit for large parts of the previous campaign, but he played less than 400 Premier League minutes.

That’s his indicator to leave, starting regularly elsewhere because he can knock on England’s door if he gets going.