Emile Smith Rowe &#8211; CaughtOffside

Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Watch: Emile Smith Rowe scores a diving header on his Fulham debut

Seven minutes into his debut. ?

? @emilesmithrowe pic.twitter.com/P9BYVqEbhH

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 5, 2024

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Mikel Arteta pays emotional tribute to Emile Smith Rowe after Fulham transfer

Sean Walker — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 11:43:38 +0000

Mikel Arteta has paid an emotional tribute to Emile Smith Rowe as the Hale End graduate departs North London to join Fulham.

After spending his entire playing career at Arsenal, the 24-year-old has departed the Emirates Stadium to join Premier League rivals Fulham for a reported £34 million deal including add-ons.

The English midfielder was a standout graduate after bursting into the team in the Europa League in 2018 and was a bastion of hope for many fans, alongside Bukayo Saka, during that down period in Arsenal’s recent history.

But after suffering several injuries and struggling to regain fitness, Smith Rowe has found it very difficult to get back up to pace with Arteta’s title-challenging side, making it increasingly difficult to justify his position in the starting eleven.

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With the Spanish manager now faced with the unenviable task of beating Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side to the title, Arteta has made the cut-throat decision to allow the 24-year-old to leave.

Speaking after the deal was announced, the Arsenal manager paid tribute to the midfielder and wished him luck at his new club.

“I’m sad that Emile is leaving us, but excited for him to take this new opportunity at this stage of his career, when he needs to be starting matches and playing regularly.” He said via the Standard.

BREAKING: Fulham have completed a club-record signing for Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal pic.twitter.com/qhYGwJ1HWQ

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 2, 2024

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“Will be a revelation” – Stan Collymore is excited by Fulham’s move for international ace

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 10:27:22 +0000

With respect, Fulham Football Club are not generally seen as one of the Premier League’s more fashionable teams.

That’s not intended to do the Cottagers a disservice as some of the players that they’ve had over recent years wouldn’t disgrace themselves in any other side in the English top-flight.

It looks as if they’ve hit the jackpot again too, as Arsenal ace, Emile Smith Rowe, is set to make a move from the Emirates Stadium to Craven Cottage.

Smith Rowe to Fulham could be a revelation

Although some may perceive that to be a drop in quality and standards for the 24-year-old, Stan Collymore doesn’t believe that to be the case.

“Fulham’s a great club, they’ve got all of the facilities that a high profile player would want, and Emile Smith Rowe wouldn’t have to move very far,” he told CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.

Stan Collymore believes that Emile Smith Rowe could be a revelation for Fulham

“[…] I think Fulham will be a revelation for Smith Rowe, and as long as he doesn’t go “I’ve come down a step because I was at Arsenal, now I’m at Fulham,” everything is there for him to progress.

“From an England point of view, a new coach is coming in and you’ve got a player there that’s got undoubted ability, and who should be wounded enough leaving Arsenal to basically stick two fingers up to Arteta and show him what he’s missing.”

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Aug 12 2024, 0:18

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Aug 11 2024, 23:38

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Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Proving Mikel Arteta wrong is likely to be a motivating factor for Smith Rowe, and if he’s able to get anywhere close to the form he showed before the Spaniard decided that the attacking midfielder didn’t form part of his future plans, then England honours will be a given.

His creativity, work rate and ability to pick a pass are all things that both Fulham and the Three Lions can benefit from, whilst Smith Rowe will simply benefit from playing more minutes on a weekly basis.

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Collymore’s column: Great window for West Ham, Smith Rowe to reignite his career, pressure on Osimhen and much more

Stan Collymore — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 11:20:38 +0000

In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former Aston Villa attacker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including why Premier League teams are bothered about winning in pre-season, why West Ham fans should be happy with their transfer window so far, why Victor Osimhen could become the poster boy for the Premier League and much more.

—

Premier League teams have one motivation in pre-season… and it isn’t winning

I’m talking as purely as a pundit but obviously using my experience as a player… pre-season is several things for an individual player. First, it’s to get fit. Secondly, to avoid injury. Thirdly, it’s to get yourself on the line on match day one and be as close as possible to not blowing out of your backside on what is guaranteed to be a hot, sunny, August day.

So, beyond pure fitness, if you can rattle in a few goals, fantastic – though it’s not the be all and end all.

I think the point I want to make in this… pre-season games are so far removed from what playing on match day one to match day six in the Premier League is like that it’s actually quite frightening.

There is very little in terms of pre-season work that prepares you for the first day of the season because usually it’s a warm day in August and the crowd dictates that you come out of the traps at 100 miles an hour when you haven’t got 100 miles an hour in your tank.

In all honesty, I think that for most players, as long as they can get through pre-season unscathed, that’s all that matters.

Don’t forget that some players have still got to come back off holidays after the Euros and who haven’t been available for selection yet. They’re going to be undercooked when it comes to the first five or six games of the season.

The primary motivation for any coach and manager is to see their players come through pre-season unscathed and so that there are no serious injuries to key players that could have a material impact on the first few games of the season.

If you remember, Man City in the Premier League at the start of last season were undercooked, but it still didn’t stop them comfortably winning the title.

Emile Smith Rowe can reignite his club and international career at Fulham

Fulham’s a great club, they’ve got all of the facilities that a high profile player would want, and Emile Smith Rowe wouldn’t have to move very far.

I think that it’s interesting that two years ago, maybe just a bit over, before Unai Emery came in, Villa were interested in Smith Rowe. Arsenal fans were like “no chance, small club, Villa – why would you want Smith Rowe?”

And yet, within a couple of years, he’s gone to a club who finished last season in a much lower place than Villa.

I don’t think he’s a lad that’s lost his way in the way that some younger players do. They become big time Charlie’s and they go off the rails a little bit, start going out on the town etc, and Smith Rowe doesn’t seem like that kind of lad at all.

I think it’s just a case of he’s been underused, and when you have a manager like Mikel Arteta, just as he did with Aaron Ramsdale, once you cross the line into being a player that he doesn’t want, he’s not one of those that goes ‘everybody’s got a clean slate here, and we’re going to use lots of different players during the season,’ Arteta has got his ideas who he wants, and based on the ones that he doesn’t want, he expects them then to be moved on fairly quickly.

I think Fulham will be a revelation for Smith Rowe, and as long as he doesn’t go “I’ve come down a step because I was at Arsenal, now I’m at Fulham,” everything is there for him to progress.

From an England point of view, a new coach is coming in and you’ve got a player there that’s got undoubted ability, and who should be wounded enough leaving Arsenal to basically stick two fingers up to Arteta and show him what he’s missing.

If he starts the season very well there is no good reason why he couldn’t see himself in an England squad come the Nations League.

Being ‘the man’ at Chelsea and in the Premier League could weigh heavily on Victor Osimhen

When I broke the British transfer record, you had players that would periodically do it, particularly through the early to mid 90s, as more and more money came into the Premier League.

Roy Keane broke the British transfer record I think at £2m-£3m, Andy Cole went for £7.5m, I was £8.5m and then Shearer nearly doubled it with his £15m signing for Newcastle.

So, the birth of the transfer record player became a big deal.

That player, whoever it was, got talked about way beyond whether they were good, bad or indifferent on the pitch. It was always that the record signing would be expected to make the difference which I always thought was very unfair.

If you fast forward to say Jack Grealish, which is probably the apex of recent transfer windows, I think it was the opposite. Grealish could blend into the Man City squad even though he was, by far and away the biggest transfer deal.

Things are different again now, because you’re looking at Financial Fair Play and PSR being a real thing.

At this point of a window previously, we might’ve expected a number of clubs to be breaking their transfer records but they haven’t, so all of a sudden we’re going back to the sort of mid to late 90s outlier.

The big-name signing that won’t just entertain us but will also become the poster boy of both his club and the entire Premier League.

That could well be the case for Victor Osimhen if his rumoured move to Chelsea comes off, because the mind boggling numbers then puts unfair pressure and expectation on him.

West Ham fans should be delighted with their transfer window so far

I remember saying that when Julen Lopetegui signed Max Kilman, that’s the manager getting his own way, getting his feet under the table and being placated.

Fans perhaps don’t understand how long it takes to get a deal over the line. It’s all ‘get it done, get it done’ but it’s never as simple as that. Transfers have got to be done at the right time and for the right price as well.

Fullkrug, I thought did well for Germany at the Euros and he harks back to a British type centre-forward.

West Ham have generally been more successful when they have a big man there (Andy Carroll/Michail Antonio), so I think that Jarrod Bowen and others playing off him is a great idea for West Ham.

Wan-Bissaka for £10m-£15m would give West Ham a steady full-back, and we know what he can do. He’s got pace even if he does have questionable defensive abilities at times, in the same way that Trent Alexander Arnold’s capabilities have also been questioned.

So, Fullkrug, Wan-Bissaka, Kilman and Crysencio Summerville… I think that’s good, solid business from West Ham in this window.

No place left in the English game for Bruce, Allardyce, Pardew, Redknapp and McLaren anymore

Unless you get to the end of November and a club says ‘we need somebody to come in and steady the ship for a few weeks, but the aim is to keep us in the Premier League,’ then English top-flight clubs now need to steer well clear of the likes of Steve Bruce and Sam Allardyce at al.

I’m not dismissing those guys achievements, but they were, for the most part, years ago.

You could argue that Sam Allardyce’s best team was Bolton from 20 years ago. You could argue that Alan Pardew’s best moment was his dance on the sideline for Palace in the FA Cup final – which was over 10 years ago. You could argue that Steve McLaren’s best work was at Middlesborough, some 20 years ago. Steve Bruce’s best work came at Birmingham City and that was 14 years ago or more.

We’re not talking about guys that should be feeling hard done by and coming out saying ‘it’s a disgrace that I can’t get a job.’ These are guys that had long managerial careers, and the ones that had shorter managerial careers was because they didn’t do very good jobs at their second, third, fourth or fifth club.

A recent example of Andoni Iraola, a rookie Premier League manager keeping Bournemouth up by playing the kind of quality football that fans want to see, will prove that we don’t need to have an Allardyce or a Pardew anywhere near a Premier League club again.

I’m very surprised and really disappointed with Steve McLaren getting the Jamaica job too.

FIFA put a lot of money into countries like Jamaica and Barbados, and with my heritage, I’ve always been interested in seeing where the funds pop up during World Cups on the FIFA website.

This is where all that money you pay for tickets and sponsorship goes and that’s an important part of the FIFA puzzle.

Jamaica had the Reggae Boys and a very positive legacy to build from including expat, dual nationality players that can play, and dual nationality expat Jamaican coaches that could coach.

I think it’s nothing short of a disgrace that the Jamaican Football Association should be going back to an old dude from Europe.

Steve McLaren going there flies in the face of what that money is supposed to be for.

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Arsenal transfer news: Merino deal, two clubs chasing Nelson, what next for Vieira & more

Charles Watts — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 20:00:00 +0000

This article was originally published on the Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Charles Watts’ exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service at thedailybriefing.io

Arsenal to step up Mikel Merino transfer pursuit after completing Riccardo Calafiori deal

I’m fully expecting Arsenal to step up their attempts to bolster their midfield now their move for Riccardo Calafiori has been confirmed.

We know that Mikel Merino is a player they like. The club had identified him as a target before the Euros and his brief performances for Spain in Germany only confirmed that he is a player who could make an impact in the Premier League.

There is believed to be rival interest in Merino from clubs in Spain, as he is expected to be available at a good price due to his contract status at Real Sociedad.

But I do think Arsenal will step up their interest in the 28-year-old having finally secured the signature of Calafiori.

There have been links to other midfielders. I’ve seen Fabian Ruiz mentioned recently. That’s not one I’ve heard anything on myself yet, but he is a fine player of course.

I still think Merino is the main target though and he would be a fine addition. He would add versatility, which is so important to any signing who comes in under Mikel Arteta.

Physically, he looks well suited to the Premier League and along with Calafiori, looks like he could really bolster Arsenal’s left-sided options for the new season.

I think an important thing to remember when looking at Arsenal’s midfield is that a pathway needs to be left for someone like Ethan Nwaneri to progress over the next 12 months.

Nwaneri has shown during the pre-season tour in the United States that he is more than good enough to make an impact at senior level. He looks totally at home in the first-team environment and you can see that the senior players trust him enough to give him the ball, even when he is under pressure.

The imminent departure of Emile Smith Rowe should give Nwaneri a real opportunity, so you don’t want to bring in too many players that end up blocking the pathway of a young player with so much talent.

Leicester and West Ham in for Reiss Nelson

It’s no surprise to see several clubs being linked with an interest in Reiss Nelson. Anyone watching Arsenal’s pre-season tour over in the United States will have seen the decent performances he has been putting in.

Leicester are understood to have enquired about the winger, but West Ham are still there and I certainly wouldn’t rule them out as Nelson’s next destination.

Reiss Nelson could be on his way out of Arsenal

But as it stands, I don’t think anything is imminent. Although of course that can change at any point, should someone come in with an offer that Arsenal find acceptable.

The fact Nelson is playing over in the USA shows, however, that no-one has come close to meeting Arsenal’s demands for Nelson. It’s the same when it comes to Eddie Nketiah, who Marseille want.

The French club have been talking to Arsenal about Nketiah but have not come close to finding an agreement.

It’s a very different situation to that of Smith Rowe, who is now on the verge of joining Fulham after a £34 million deal was agreed between the two clubs.

That move has been close to being done for a while now, which is why Smith Rowe was left out of the USA tour games against Bournemouth and Manchester United.

To be honest, I do think the time is right for all three to move on this summer. If that were to happen though, then Arsenal would need to sign at least one new attacker ahead of the new season. They would be a bit short otherwise.

What role will Jurrien Timber play this season?

Jurrien Timber has been one of the shining lights of Arsenal’s pre-season so far, just as he was last summer.

Obviously, what then happened on the opening day of the Premier League season last year was a disaster for Arsenal and for Timber himself, but he really looks like he has put that behind him now.

He looks sharp, he looks physically strong and he looks as comfortable on the ball as he ever did.

It’s been interesting to see him playing as a central defender in the first two games because prior to that we had only really seen him operating as a left-back in an Arsenal shirt.

That versatility he has could be so important because when you look at Arteta’s defence right now, it’s tough to predict exactly what he is thinking.

Calafiori looks like being the long-term left-back, then you have the incredible centre-back partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes and of course you have Ben White at right-back.

So when everyone is back fit and available, it’s tough right now to see where Timber will feature. But the key thing is he can play anywhere across that backline and we know that Arteta wants to rotate more this season than he has done previously.

That’s something he’s spoken about in the last few weeks and when you look at the options he now has defensively, he is going to have to rotate to keep everyone happy and so I have no doubt that Timber is going to get plenty of minutes this season.

Important season ahead for Fabio Vieira

This is a big season for Fabio Vieira. The Portuguese playmaker arrived for big money two years ago and so far he has done very little to live up to that price tag.

There were really positive signs at the start of last season, but an injury halted him in his tracks and he never really recovered from that. In fact, once he returned Mikel Arteta barely used him at all.

So now he has to show he can make an impact in the Premier League and the imminent departure of Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham should certainly give him an opportunity for more game time.

Although, recently when we have seen Vieira we’ve seen him being used on the right hand side of the attack.

That’s where he has featured in both of Arsenal’s pre-season games in the USA and there have been flashes of quality, including the goal he scored in the draw against Bournemouth.

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The thing with Vieira is you know he has that quality, He’s shown that during his time in England. But it’s about whether he can do it on a consistent basis and whether he has the physical capability to deal with the demands of the Premier League.

I don’t really like him playing out wide, I don’t think that’s his best position. I see him more as a Martin Odegaard understudy than I do a Bukayo Saka one.

I do believe he’s worth sticking with for another season, but wherever Arteta does opt to use him he has to show now that he can do something for the team because otherwise you feel that his time is running out at Arsenal.

The post Arsenal transfer news: Merino deal, two clubs chasing Nelson, what next for Vieira & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Exclusive: Two clubs in race to sign Arsenal attacker as Gunners fired warning over player sales

Mark Brus — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:15:27 +0000

Arsenal are facing interest in Reiss Nelson this summer, with West Ham United and Leicester City apparently competing for the 24-year-old, according to Charles Watts.

The Gunners, however, have been warned that they would surely need to sign a replacement in the attacking area of their squad if all three of Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah leave.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Watts provided an update on Nelson’s situation, confirming the reports linking him with Leicester, whilst insisting that West Ham could still be there as well.

It remains to be seen precisely how this saga will pan out, with Watts stressing that nothing is imminent as of now, even if things are now moving closer for Smith Rowe to leave Arsenal for Fulham.

With Nketiah also being targeted by Marseille, Watts believes it’s important for Arsenal to be careful about selling too many players, as they’ll surely need to replace that loss of squad depth.

Nelson transfer update and more from Arsenal expert Watts

“It’s no surprise to see several clubs being linked with an interest in Reiss Nelson. Anyone watching Arsenal’s pre-season tour over in the United States will have seen the decent performances he has been putting in,” Watts said.

Reiss Nelson to leave Arsenal for West Ham or Leicester?

“Leicester are understood to have enquired about the winger, but West Ham are still there and I certainly wouldn’t rule them out as Nelson’s next destination.

“But as it stands, I don’t think anything is imminent. Although of course that can change at any point, should someone come in with an offer that Arsenal find acceptable.

“The fact Nelson is playing over in the USA shows, however, that no-one has come close to meeting Arsenal’s demands for Nelson. It’s the same when it comes to Eddie Nketiah, who Marseille want.

“The French club have been talking to Arsenal about Nketiah but have not come close to finding an agreement.

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“It’s a very different situation to that of Smith Rowe, who is now on the verge of joining Fulham after a £34 million deal was agreed between the two clubs.

“That move has been close to being done for a while now, which is why Smith Rowe was left out of the USA tour games against Bournemouth and Manchester United.

“To be honest, I do think the time is right for all three to move on this summer. If that were to happen though, then Arsenal would need to sign at least one new attacker ahead of the new season. They would be a bit short otherwise.”

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Report: Emile Smith Rowe exit to make way for new midfield signing for Arsenal

Ahad Shaukat — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 05:36:31 +0000

Arsenal are hoping to sell midfielder Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham so that they can sign another midfielder.

The Gunners have completed the signing of defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, on top of David Raya’s permanent move to the Emirates Stadium.

More transfer business is expected at Arsenal as manager Mikel Arteta prepares to shape up his squad for the new season.

The North Londoners are expected to lose midfielder Smith Rowe this summer and Fulham are leading the race for his signature.

According to Football Transfers, the Gunners face an obstacle in Smith Rowe’s impending move to Fulham and if that is not resolved, they cannot complete the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino.

For Merino to arrive at the Emirates Stadium, Smith Rowe must leave the club first.

The report states that London neighbours Fulham have offered £35 million for the midfielder, with £27m of this upfront and a further £8m in add-ons.

Arsenal believe that the add-ons being offered are unlikely to be achieved.

Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe is on his way to Fulham.

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Arteta and his team are now working towards finding out a solution to this problem and they want the transfer to go ahead smoothly.

The Gunners are looking to complete a deal for Spain’s Euro 2024 hero Merino and the player is open to a move to join Arteta’s Arsenal this summer.

Real Sociedad are meanwhile hoping that other clubs join the race to sign their central midfielder so that it could help push up the transfer fee.

Arsenal midfield is set to go through changes this summer

Smith Rowe is edging closer to an exit from the club and Fulham is set to be his next destination.

However, there is still work to be done from the Premier League side to work out a deal for Merino, despite the report stating that the Gunners have agreed personal terms with the Spanish midfielder.

This would be the ideal move for Arteta as he would be losing a player who has hardly played football in the last two seasons and Merino would arrive as Declan Rice’s midfield partner to offer a new dimension to the midfield.

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Agreement reached as Premier League club break transfer record for Arsenal talent

Darren Looney — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 16:58:51 +0000

Fulham have reached an with Arsenal for the signing of Emile Smith Rowe as the midfielder looks set to leave the Gunners after spending his entire career in North London.

Arsenal will receive an initial £27m for the 24-year-old, plus add-ons that could take the total to £34m, reports Sky Sports. This will be a club-record transfer for Fulham, which shows how much Marco Silva wants the Englishman in his team for the 2024/25 campaign.

The Portuguese coach has an exciting side at Craven Cottage and the addition of Smith Rowe could take the London club up a level should he reach his potential with his new team.

Smith Rowe will now undergo a medical before the deal is confirmed as personal terms have already been agreed between Fulham and the player.

This is a huge move for the Arsenal star as he has spent his entire career with the Gunners and many thought he was on course to become a superstar at the club following his impressive 2021/22 campaign.

However, that never worked out for the player and his move to Fulham could be vital for how the rest of his career pans out.

Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe ready to join Fulham

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What happened to Emile Smith Rowe at Arsenal?

Following his standout 2021/22 campaign, injuries affected Smith Rowe’s development and recent seasons have seen the 24-year-old slip down Mikel Arteta’s pecking order. The Englishman would not have been guaranteed many minutes at the Emirates Stadium this season and it was best for the player to try a new challenge.

It would have been hard for Smith Rowe to work his way back into Arteta’s plans at the rate the Spaniard’s team is developing as the North London outfit attempt to win the Premier League again this season.

The transfer is great business for Arsenal seeing as the midfielder only received 475 minutes of action last season in all competions. The Gunners will likely use it to recruit new talent as Arteta would like to see another midfielder arrive into his squad.

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Talks planned: Arsenal need to finalise sale before proceeding with top transfer target

Mark Brus — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:23:39 +0000

Arsenal reportedly need to complete the sale of Emile Smith Rowe before they can then proceed to target a potential deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino.

The Spain international looks like a fine opportunity on the market at the moment due to the fact that his Sociedad contract expires next summer, making him a free agent by that time.

This will surely mean there’s a chance for Arsenal and others to swoop for Merino for below market value this year, which seems ideal as the Gunners invested such big money on Declan Rice in that area of the pitch last summer, so will perhaps be keen to avoid another mammoth deal in that department.

See below from Fabrizio Romano’s X page as he also explains that Smith Rowe’s sale looks like being key to moving forward in talks over Merino…

???? Arsenal are prepared to advance in talks with Mikel Merino's camp next week, after positive contacts.

He's not only name on list but well positioned; price tag requested by Real Sociedad will be key.

Arteta appreciates him; as soon as ESR leaves, Arsenal can proceed. pic.twitter.com/Z9o91NrnMn

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 28, 2024

Merino has shone in La Liga and also showed his quality at Euro 2024, so it will be interesting to see how he gets on in the Premier League, with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side perhaps the perfect set-up for him.

Merino transfer not the only Spanish midfielder being eyed by Arsenal

Sources have also told CaughtOffside that Arsenal are interested in a potential loan move for Paris Saint-Germain and Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz this summer.

Mikel Merino and Fabian Ruiz

It has at times been felt that Merino’s preference would be to stay in Spain, and Romano has also said in his post above that the 28-year-old is not the only name on the north London giants’ list in that position.

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Ruiz and Merino could both be quality additions at Arsenal, and it may even be that there’s room for both as Smith Rowe might not be the only player we see leaving the Emirates Stadium this summer, with Thomas Partey also previously regarded as someone who might be allowed to leave if the right offer comes along, CaughtOffside understands.

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Arsenal close to finalising their biggest-ever transfer after reaching an agreement

Darren Looney — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 20:35:13 +0000

Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe is closing in on a transfer to Premier League club Fulham as the 23-year-old gets set for a new chapter in his career.

The English talent has been with Arsenal his entire career and many thought he was on course to become a superstar following his impressive 2021/22 campaign.

However, injuries have affected his development and recent seasons have seen Smith Rowe slip down Mikel Arteta’s pecking order. The Englishman is not guaranteed many minutes at the Emirates Stadium this season and it would be best for the player to try a new challenge.

It now looks like that could be with Fulham as the Evening Standard report that the two Premier League clubs have agreed on a £35m transfer fee for Smith Rowe, which would be Arsenal’s biggest-ever sale.

The transfer is great business for the Gunners seeing as Smith Rowe only received 475 minutes of action last season in all competions.

The North London club can use the cash to recruit new players and should the transfer get over the line, it seems to benefit all the parties involved.

Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe is closing in on a transfer to Fulham

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract