A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as coach Mikel Arteta sets sights on an Aston Villa target and Alan Shearer surprises Gary Lineker with his Gunners transfer claim.
Arsenal gem Emile Smith Rowe offers an injury update
Hale End product Emile Smith Rowe is ‘feeling really good’ after returning from a knee injury sooner than Arsenal expected. The 23-year-old missed six Premier League games between November and December due to the issue. But Mikel Arteta got him back before Christmas.
Smith Rowe has since only featured for 12 minutes of top-flight football with brief cameos at home to Brighton and West Ham. He also enjoyed another brief cameo as Arsenal lost 2-0 to Liverpool in the FA Cup. Arteta has seldom trusted Smith Rowe to start in games this season.
Just two of Smith Rowe’s 12 appearances across all competitions for 245 minutes have been in Arsenal’s starting XI. He opened a Carabao Cup tie at Brentford and a top-flight clash with Sheffield United. But the Arsenal academy product is confident he can really kick on in 2024.
“I’m feeling good now,” Smith Rowe told the Arsenal website. “I’ve been back in training for a while and it’s all good at the moment. I don’t think I did anything differently in rehab – I just felt a lot better with it this time.
“At first, we thought the injury would be a bit longer. But I started feeling really good after just a few weeks. So, then I kicked on and I’m feeling good now, as well.”
Read more about what Smith Rowe has had to say about the Arsenal gem’s injury, here.
Arsenal rival Aston Villa for Leonardo Spinazzola’s transfer from Roma
Arsenal are now showing an interest in rivalling Aston Villa for the transfer of AS Roma left-back Leonardo Spinazzola. Reports by La Roma 24 note that the Premier League rivals have taken stock of the 30-year-old’s agent almost ruling out Spinazzola agreeing a new contract.
Davide Lippi has confessed that it is effectively impossible to envisage Spinazzola signing an extension beyond this season. His existing terms will expire in June after five years in Rome. The Giallorossi signed the 24-cap Italy international from Juventus back in 2019 for £26m.
Spinazzola is starting to consider a future away from the Stadio Olimpico having struggled to lock down a spot in Jose Mourinho’s defence this term. He has only started 11 of Roma’s 19 Serie A games so far this season. Spinazzola has also played as a substitute in three games.
Read more about Arsenal’s interest in Spinazzola’s transfer from Roma, here.
Alan Shearer surprises Gary Lineker by urging Arsenal to sign Victor Osimhen
Arsenal should sign SSC Napoli striker Victor Osimhen over any other forward in the January transfer window. That is the opinion of Shearer and Micah Richards, who ‘surprised’ Lineker by selecting the Nigerian as the centre-forward to solve boss Arteta’s biggest problem area.
The Gunners have shown an interest in a potential deal for the 25-year-old this month with strikers high on Arteta’s shortlist. TuttoJuve reports that Arsenal view Osimhen, Ivan Toney of Brentford and Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic as three very worthy striker transfer targets.
But Napoli will likely demand the full value of the $143m (£112.5m) release clause they put in Osimhen’s new contract in December. Nonetheless, Shearer and Richards agree that the Lagos native with seven goals in 13 Serie A games this season should be Arteta’s top target.
Richards told The Rest is Football when asked which position Arsenal most need to improve in January: “A striker.” To which, Shearer simply added: “Osimhen.” Richards then backed up the Premier League hero, adding: “Osimhen, he’s signed a new deal at Napoli.”
Lineker responded: “I was surprised at that because they’re struggling this season. What are they, seventh [or] eighth in the league?” But Richards added: “Osimhen would be my one.”
Read more on what Shearer, Richards and Lineker have said on Osimhen to Arsenal, here.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
