Aston Villa aren’t going away in their pursuit to sign Arsenal playmaker, Emile Smith Rowe, it seems.
The Telegraph claim that Villa will submit a second bid for the Arsenal academy product.
But Villa see Smith Rowe as ‘another top target’ after breaking their club-record transfer by signing Emi Buendia this month.
Many would think that Villa pushing for Smith Rowe is a sign that they will sell star man, Jack Grealish.
But that’s not the case, with Villa, according to the report, planning to play Smith Rowe in a front three, alongside their two club-record signings Ollie Watkins, and the most recent, Buendia, with Grealish playing in behind.
But do Villa need Smith Rowe?
From a creative aspect, Villa have enough to guide them through the season – and that’s Grealish alone.
Buendia’s arrival will lift the burden from the expert ball-carriers shoulders, but that doesn’t hide the fact that Dean Smith needs depth in the final third.
That’s where Smith Rowe comes into play and it’s a question of whether Villa need a player of his ilk, or are other areas or types of players important?
Smith Rowe is similar to Grealish and Buendia in the sense that he likes to find pockets, attack spaces, carry the ball and rely on his technical talent.
Do Villa need that or an out-and-out winger who is more direct, relies on speed and trickery on the flanks.
Bertrand Traore, Anwar El Ghazi and Trezeguet are Villa’s out-and-out wingers, with the latter currently injured.
El Ghazi did score 11 Premier League goals last season, but he endured a difficult first half of the campaign, whilst the other two were inconsistent.
It seems as though this Smith Rowe-Villa drama isn’t going to go away and it’s going to be interesting to see what will happen next.
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