London, July 20: Crystal Palace and Fulham are locked in a transfer battle for Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe, but the Gunners are likely to reject their advances. Arsenal turned down Fulham’s initial bid, which could rise to £30 million with add-ons, earlier this week. The west London club is expected to return with an improved offer. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace is preparing a bid of £35 million, including bonuses, in hopes of persuading Arsenal to part with the 23-year-old England international.
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, is keen on retaining Smith Rowe despite his limited game time last season. The England attacker, who struggled with a knee injury, made only three Premier League starts and played just 346 minutes in the league. Smith Rowe is set to join Arsenal’s pre-season tour to the United States on Sunday, where Arteta will make a final decision on his future. The midfielder, who scored 10 goals and was Arsenal’s top scorer two seasons ago, has since seen his prominence in the squad diminish.
Smith Rowe, a Croydon native who began his football journey with Junior Elite, fits the profile of the type of player Palace has been targeting, especially following Michael Olise’s move to Bayern Munich. Palace’s manager, Oliver Glasner, views Smith Rowe as a key replacement for Olise. In addition, Palace maintains interest in Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah, though the recent success of Jean-Philippe Mateta has lessened their immediate need for a new striker.
In other transfer news, Liverpool has expressed strong interest in Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi. However, Palace is holding out for around £70 million for the England defender, who has just two years remaining on his contract. Tottenham and Arsenal have shown tentative interest in Eberechi Eze, another Palace player, but have yet to make a formal approach. Eze would also command a similar fee.
As the transfer window progresses, these developments highlight the shifting dynamics in the Premier League, with clubs manoeuvring to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.