Arteta has clear transfer stance on Arsenal star he 'loves' as £35m bid prepared

Mikel Arteta wants to keep Emile Smith Rowe at Arsenal and will push back against interest from Fulham and Crystal Palace in the summer transfer window.

Fulham have seen a bid worth £30million rejected for Smith Rowe, but Palace haven’t been put off and The Guardian reports they are ready to offer £35m for his services. The 23-year-old midfielder has struggled with injuries in recent years and started just three Premier League games for the Gunners last season.

Smith Rowe still has two years left on his current contract with Arsenal, but Mirror Football understands that he is desperate to play more regular first-team football. He showed his huge potential during the 2021/22 season when he grabbed 10 goals in the Premier League and a decision now needs to be made on where his future lies.

Despite not giving him much game time, Arteta has frequently spoken in praise of Smith Rowe and his words after a 2-0 win over Luton in April show his stance well. “I was really impressed with him,” Arteta said. “He has been training really well and we felt the game could suit us.

“I love him as a player, it is a joy to watch how he moves and how he changes direction. He was physical today without the ball, he wanted to make things happen. It was difficult to stop him and he helped us a lot to win the game.”

Earlier this year, Arteta also explained why he believes the academy graduate’s injury struggles can be beneficial. “It is the best thing that could have happened for him in his career – if he uses it the right way now,” he said. “So, don’t look back and say: ‘Ah, if, if’.

“No, this happened, use it. ‘That was the best thing that could have happened, I had great moments, I had difficult moments, now I know what I want, how to deal with that. That is going to make me a much better player’. And, you could see, the hell of a player that we have in him when he is fit and he is playing at that level.”

Arsenal under-18s coach Jack Wilshere has also made it clear that he regards Smith Rowe as a top talent in Arteta's squad. "He's a player that I really like," he told Sky Sports in October 2021.

"He came into the team really last year and sort of made the position his, but I think this season, even in the bad results, he was the one player, the one shining light. He carries the ball so well in that transition from defence to attack. He is crucial to how this team wants to play."