West Ham United are reportedly interested in 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder Emil Smith Rowe and have first refusal on him.
A report from Football Transfers has revealed that West Ham United have first refusal on 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe. The agreement was secured when Arsenal signed Declan Rice from West Ham during the summer transfer window.
Arsenal paid a club-record fee to sign Rice from the Hammers, and he has proven to be a quality acquisition so far. Meanwhile, Smith Rowe has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal, and he needs to leave the club in order to play regularly.
A midfielder of his quality needs more game time in order to fulfil his tremendous potential, and he is unlikely to get those opportunities at Arsenal. The 23-year-old was regarded as one of the finest young talents in the country a few years ago. But injuries have stalled his progress.
The English midfielder will be desperate to get his career back on track. And moving away from Arsenal could do him a world of good during the second half of the season.
West Ham United could certainly use more creativity in the final third, and the 23-year-old could be a quality acquisition for them. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal are prepared to sanction his departure during the January transfer window.
Mikel Arteta already has players like Martin Odegaard and Fabio Vieira at his disposal. He is well stocked in the attacking midfield department. So, selling Smith Rowe could prove to be a wise decision. Arsenal should look to invest in a quality striker, and selling the 23-year-old playmaker could fund a move for a goal scorer.
Meanwhile, West Ham are competing in the UEFA Europa League, and the opportunity to join them could be an exciting option for the Arsenal midfielder. He will want to play at a high level regularly, and West Ham can certainly provide him with that platform.
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West Ham have a talented squad and will aim to win the UEFA Europa League this season. Someone like Smith Rowe could make a big difference for them going forward if he manages to regain his sharpness and confidence.
