Aston Villa are being tipped to make a fresh bid for Arsenal starlet Emile Smith Rowe.
Smith Rowe rose to prominence at the Emirates Stadium last season, stepping up amid Mikel Arteta’s lack of creativity in midfield, particularly in the months before Martin Odegaard was signed on loan from Arsenal.
After coming through the Gunners academy, Smith Rowe became an instant favourite of Arsenal fans, and there has been talk from Fabrizio Romano that there could be a new contract in the offing.
MORE: Arsenal to turn attention to Smith Rowe after Tierney deal
Kieran Tierney signed a new deal on Friday, and it’s reported Smith Rowe could be next on the agenda with a possible contract extension to keep the 20-year-old at the club until 2026.
But while Arsenal attempt to top up the midfielder’s deal, Premier League rivals Aston Villa appear to be sniffing around again despite reportedly having a £25million offer rejected previously.
The Express and Star report that the previous offer was swiftly rejected by Arsenal but Villa are ‘undeterred’ in their chase to land him and will continue to pursue a deal this summer.
However, given Smith Rowe became a regular last season, making 33 senior appearances across all competitions, and Arteta’s clear desire to give young players a chance, it seems unlikely the youngster will jump ship to join Villa having come through the Arsenal academy to become a first-team star.