Arsenal are starting to make some moves in the summer transfer market after a fairly quiet start.
The London club could be about to lose one of their own Emile Smith Rowe after a difficult few years for the midfielder at the Emirates.
The Hale-End star will forever be a crowd favourite at Arsenal, but injuries and a lack of game time mean that he has fallen down the pecking order and needs to be moved on.
Mikel Arteta provided a key update on Smith Rowe after Fulham bid £35 million for the player – he is still part of Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the USA.
Gabby Agbonlahor previously urged Arsenal to ‘sell’ Smith Rowe because he no longer is being used by his manager, even though ‘it’s hard for the fans’.
Last season, the 23-year-old played less than 400 Premier League minutes, even though he was fit and ready for good chunks of it.
When that money comes in for Smith Rowe, it’s then about putting it to good use, with sources telling HITC that Arsenal have scheduled a medical for Riccardo Calafiori ahead of his move to the Emirates.
That’s bringing in a defensive option and a player who can fill it at left-back, as well as the heart of the defence for the Gunners.
Agbonlahor thinks Arsenal can also further enhance their midfield with this Smith Rowe money and he thinks they should go and buy Eberechi Eze.
The former striker stated ‘use some of that money towards Eze’, as he told talkSPORT (24/07/24 at 4:20 pm).
Arsenal backed to sell Emile Smith Rowe and sign Eberechi Eze
“What they need to do is they need to sell players as well, that’s how it works,” said Agbonlahor.
“Someone like Smith Rowe. You aren’t going to play him. He never gets used. I know it’s hard for Arsenal fans. You have to make sacrifices. Arsenal have to say ‘he is one of our own, but let’s get £30 million for him’.
“You need to sell Smith Rowe. Get the money in. You could use some of that £30 million towards Eze.”
Eberechi Eze returning to Arsenal
The 26-year-old started his career at Arsenal as a very young kid, before he was released and went on to make a name for himself elsewhere.
Eze admitted it was his ‘dream to play for Arsenal’ and he ‘cried’ upon being let go.
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Now it’s for the title-chasers to bring him back because he would be a brilliant player for Arteta to work with and he can be used in multiple roles.
At the stage Eze is at in his career, he is ready for that step up and to compete in Europe and fight for trophies, which he would get at the Emirates.
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