Still reeling from the signings of Emi Buendia and Ashley Young last month, Aston Villa are hell-bent on signing 20-year-old attacking midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe from Arsenal after fresh reports that a third offer is imminent.
Talk of Villa’s interest in Smith-Rowe first emerged in mid-June and it’s since been reported that the club has made a pair of bids for the attacking midfielder for sums of £25 and £30 million.
Both bids were knocked back with the likes of Fabrizio Romano stating that Smith-Rowe, whose current contract runs out in the summer of 2023, is “100% signing a new contract” with Arsenal.
Villa’s interest in the player, on the surface, seems odd then. Given Arsenal’s precarious standing in the Premier League–eighth place in 2019-20 and 2020-21 are their worst since 1994-95–one would think the North London side should be inclined to lock up arguably the most promising youngster in a bloated, under performing side.
Emile Smith-Rowe signing could cost Aston Villa over £30m
But, with a reported third bid en route, Villa think they can strike a deal. Ambitions are understandably high at Villa so it would seem a waste of time and resources to chase Smith-Rowe if the club didn’t truly believe they could sign him.
And, no, Smith-Rowe would not be a replacement for Jack Grealish, who is reportedly attracting interest from Manchester City, and Villa’s interest is not a meme, hypothetically adding insult to injury after beating the Gunners to Buendia’s signature.
Villa are targeting Smith-Rowe because they envision him as one part of a mouth-watering trio behind Ollie Watkins. He would play alongside Grealish and Buendia, causing fits for Premier League defenders in 2021-22.
For there to be a third approach signals Villa mean business and know something we don’t. Are things that bad for Arsenal, that they stand to lose a promising youngster to Aston Villa, a club that played in the Championship two years ago? Perhaps Smith-Rowe is enticed by the Villa project and the prospect of playing with Grealish, a player whom he says he looks up to.
Speculation aside, these reports signal Villa’s intent and ambition. They’re also emblematic of Arsenal’s fall from grace, though that’s a different conversation. But for Villa supporters, you can’t help but get excited by these reports. To think of where this club was three years ago and see the future it’s aspiring to build has us all buzzing.