Newcastle chiefs are ready to spend £100m on Nketiah and other two UNHAPPY Arsenal stars who wants to leave at the end this season
TEAMtalk has revealed that Arsenal are ready to sell Emil Smith-Rowe, who is unhappy with the lack of minutes under Mikel Arteta, due to interest from Newcastle United.
After being beating to title against Manchester City last season, Arsenal are 10 games from the end of the season at the top of the Premier League, with an incredible eight wins in eight games since the start of the year.
Arsenal have the same number of points as Liverpool ahead of the title race, with reigning champions Manchester City just one point behind. The Gunners are also still in contention for their first Champions League title after beating FC Porto on Tuesday night on penalty kicks.
Despite the current successes on the pitch, Arsenal will have to sell players this summer to comply with financial fair play rules. Smith Rowe is one of those the club is willing to replace.
Smith Rowe, who established himself as an influential player at the start of Arteta’s reign when he emerged from the club’s youth academy, has seen his development stalled in recent seasons due to a number of injuries.
During this period, the 23-year-old made just 16 appearances in all competitions. He has no goals and just one assist, which he made in Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Sheffield United at the end of October.
TEAMtalk’s sources have indicated that Smith Rowe is not happy with his current lack of minutes and is keen to play again. Furthermore, Arsenal are ready to sell the midfielder, whose current contract runs until the summer of 2026.
Sources state that Arsenal hope to get £45 million for Smith Rowe and that Newcastle are very keen to do a deal. A season-long loan with an option/obligation to buy in the summer of 2025 is an option.
Newcastle are interested in him after TEAMtalk exclusively revealed during the January transfer window that West Ham United had approached Arsenal to take Smith Rowe on loan until the end of the season.
Mikel Arteta reacts to the lack of minutes for Emile Smith Rowe
David Moyes is said to be a big fan of Smith Rowe and has been following him for several months before he approached Arsenal.
Aston Villa, currently coached by Unai Emery, were also interested in Smith Rowe during the winter window, meaning Smith Rowe could make his Arsenal debut in September 2020.
Arteta, ahead of Arsenal’s win against Brentford on Saturday, defended the lack of playing time for Smith Rowe – as well as other stars such as Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson, who, as TEAMtalk revealed on Tuesday, have emerged as Brighton’s top summer targets – and stressed that football is “a team game”.
He said: “We’ve talked about things and we can’t play every player in every game.
“Those players played a few games ago against Newcastle and they had opportunities to do that.
“We now have five substitutes, before we only had three, so we have got two more players who can cheer us on.
“That’s how I understand it, but you always have players who want to play, but unfortunately it’s impossible.
“It’s not in our hands, it’s impossible to achieve, so they know that.”
Asked if he had spoken to the three players about limited playing time, he added: “You can’t really promise anything.
“You never know what’s going to happen in three weeks or seven days.
“I think we need to show compassion and they need to feel that we are there for them and that we understand where they are, but the reality is also that this is football.
“It’s a team sport and you have to understand and fulfil the role that you have right now and in three weeks it could be completely different.”
