Exclusive: Arsenal ‘would like’ surprise January loan exit for Emile Smith Rowe

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe is a popular figure amongst the fanbase, but he has hardly played in the last two seasons.

The 23-year-old was injured for the majority of last season, but began his recovery in the second half of the campaign, and managed just 241 minutes of action across all competitions.

Smith Rowe has been fit for large parts of this campaign, aside from a problem which kept him out for a month when he started to build up some form, but he has still appeared in just 7% of Arsenal’s Premier League minutes.

HITC Football’s transfer expert Graeme Bailey has now exclusively told Arsenal Insider that the club may see the benefit in a January loan for Smith Rowe, in order to raise his transfer value ahead of the summer window.

Arsenal may loan out Emile Smith Rowe in January

Bailey previously told us why Arsenal are restricted in their spending because of profit and sustainability rules, and has now explained that selling a homegrown player like Smith Rowe would be hugely beneficial in terms of financial fair play.

“I mention Emile Smith Rowe. I don’t think we’ll see Smith Rowe leave this month, but if we did, it would be on loan,” Bailey explained.

“No one’s going to pay the sort of money Arsenal want this month, so if Smith Rowe did go out this month, it’d be a loan, so that doesn’t really impact massively on the profit and sustainability and FFP issues.

A loan now would not benefit Arsenal at all in this window, but if he plays regularly and finds his form, his value for a summer transfer could rise significantly.

“Smith Rowe is an interesting one. I think Arsenal would like, in theory, to get him out on loan and raise that transfer value a bit more. They turned down a lot of money from Aston Villa the year before last.

“It’s not easy to sell them, but it’s so much more beneficial in terms of profit and sustainability to sell homegrown players.”

Should Arsenal loan out Emile Smith Rowe?

It recently emerged that Smith Rowe’s stance is that he wants to stay at Arsenal and fight for his place, but if he is not going to be allowed to do so, then a loan exit may be best for him.

Mikel Arteta has been seemingly reluctant to play him, despite Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard dropping disappointing performances in midfield.

Smith Rowe came on and delivered a bright cameo in Arsenal’s recent defeat to West Ham, and was then an unused substitute as Arsenal lost again away at Fulham. With his side chasing the game in the FA Cup against Liverpool, he was substituted on in the dying stages of the match.

It has today emerged that West Ham have made an approach to Arsenal for Smith Rowe, and the club now has a decision to make over the Hale End product.

Many would argue that Arteta has been unfair over his minutes, and Graeme Souness recently stated that the signing of Havertz was unnecessary as Smith Rowe is capable of performing in his midfield role.

If the eventual plan is to sell him in the summer, a loan now to raise his value makes sense, as another few months on the bench will benefit no one.

However, the decision to let him go whilst Arsenal are struggling for goals, with the England International currently ranking top for xG per 90 minutes in the squad, will not sit well at all with the fanbase.