Aston Villa are trying to sign Emile Smith-Rowe from Arsenal and lodged a bid for the 20-year-old that was rejected, but David Ornstein of The Athletic says Villa have since made a second attempt to procure his signature that has also fallen through.
The Midlands outfit first offered £25m which Arsenal quickly turned down and The Athletic note that they’ve recently offered £30m which has also been rejected, so it remains to be seen if they’re successful in their pursuit of Smith-Rowe. There’s unsurprisingly a lot of interest in this story on Twitter as it’s an ambitious approach from Villa.
The England U21 international has two years remaining on his contract at the Emirates Stadium and is highly rated in North London, but Arsenal are coming off the back of a disappointing campaign while Villa are hoping to build on an improved campaign under Dean Smith.
Adding more creative quality is on the agenda this summer too, as Jack Grealish’s future is uncertain. Smith-Rowe fits the bill perfectly, as he’s got an eye for goal and makes opportunities for his teammates. He’s not as good as Grealish in a one-on-one with a defender, but his passing ability would be a benefit to Villa.
Time will tell whether Arsenal will crack, however.
In other news, Jack Grealish trends as Man City close in on £100m deal
