Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe has been linked with a move away from the club recently.
The 23-year-old has struggled to hold down a regular starting spot at the north London club since his return from injury.
Smith Rowe needs to play regularly at the stage of his career in order to continue his development and he could be willing to leave the club in January if things do not improve.
Journalist Graeme Bailey has now revealed that Aston Villa love the 23-year-old midfielder and they want to sign him. In addition to that, Newcastle are keen on the player as well.
“Does Arteta trust him? I don’t think he does you know. I think there have been chances for Smith Rowe to play, but he’s some way down the pecking order. We know Aston Villa love him, they almost signed him before, they still want him, our information is that Newcastle would take him, Brighton would take him, he can’t go to Tottenham, they wouldn’t sell him there. He will give it until January and see what’s happening there,” Bailey said on the Talking Transfers Podcast.
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal are prepared to sell him midway through the campaign. The Gunners already have creative midfielders like Martin Odegaard and Fabio Vieira at their disposal. They might not be able to accommodate Smith Rowe in the starting lineup regularly.
It will be interesting to see if Aston will come forward with a concrete proposal to sign the midfielder in the coming months. They could certainly use more quality and depth in their attack and Smith Rowe will add creativity and goals to the side.
Similarly, Newcastle United struggled to score goals consistently last season and they could certainly use someone like Smith Rowe who will add a new dimension to their attack. The 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder was regarded as one of the finest young talents in the Premier League prior to his injury blow and he could be a key player for both clubs if he manages to recapture his form and confidence.