Arsenal will submit a bid for Declan Rice soon, but the Gunners don’t want to include Emile Smith Rowe in a deal, according to a report.
Following West Ham United’s success in the Europa Conference League, Arsenal should be ready to make their move for Declan Rice any day now.
The Hammers midfielder is Arsenal’s top summer target, and reports suggest they’re ready to invest a club-record fee to bring him to the Emirates Stadium.
But despite their enthusiasm for the signing, Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal aren’t willing to include Emile Smith Rowe in the deal, following claims that West Ham could be interested in such a swap.
“Arsenal want to submit a proposal for Declan Rice,” Romano said. “We’ll see for sure when the offer is made, it’s hard to predict the day for now.
“Smith Rowe, however, is part of Arsenal’s plans for the future, they don’t want to let him go.
“Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the player, despite his fitness issues and lack of game time in the season just gone.”
David Ornstein recently reported that Arsenal have no intention to sell Smith Rowe this summer.
The midfielder still has a contract until 2026, and he remains an important part of Mikel Arteta’s plans, despite his minimal role for the club this season.
Ornstein reports that Arsenal are hoping Smith Rowe shines at the u21 European Championships and in pre-season, before having a big season in 2023/24.
Smith Rowe made 15 appearances for Arsenal this season, amid injury setbacks, providing one assist in the comeback win over Bournemouth and another on the final day of the season against Wolves.
The 22-year-old had been one of Arsenal’s top scorers in the 2021/22 campaign, but his 241 minutes on the pitch made it difficult for him to achieve anything like that again this time around.
Reports suggested Smith Rowe would hold talks with the club at the end of the season, and it appears as if the result of those conversations is that they intend to keep him.
Gunnerblog has confirmed that Arsenal have communicated very clearly to the player that he’s part of next season’s plans.
Smith Rowe’s limited minutes were largely due to his surgery on a damaged tendon in September, ruling him out until the turn of the year.
When he eventually returned to fitness, it was difficult to reintegrate him, with Arsenal in the midst of their title challenge and the midfielders and attackers ahead of him already up to speed.