Two more Arsenal players are in ongoing talks to leave the Emirates Stadium with Emile Smith Rowe, who is said to be on the verge of a move to Fulham.
Smith Rowe close to joining Fulham from Arsenal in £35 million deal
The Hale End academy graduate, thanks partly to a knee injury last season, played just 347 minutes in the Premier League last season and started just three of his 13 top-flight appearances under Mikel Arteta.
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Smith Rowe, who scored 10 league goals and registered a further two assists for Arsenal during the 2021/2022 season, his best campaign to date, also found himself competing with a host of star attackers to regain his place in Arteta's first team.
The Englishman has been heavily linked with a summer exit as a result, despite just how highly-rated he is in north London. Reliable journalist Charles Watts said earlier this week that Arsenal are reluctantly prepared to sell Smith Rowe for the right offer, and allow him to gain minutes elsewhere.
Arteta would ideally like to keep Smith Rowe at the club, but the attacking midfield ace is keen to play regular football and that is something which Arsenal cannot guarantee.
Appearances
115
Goals
18
Assists
13
Yellow cards
2
Red cards
0
Minutes played
5,846
(via Transfermarkt)
“In an ideal world, Mikel Arteta would keep Smith Rowe," said Watts.
"This time last year he made it clear that he would not be sold and I think his stance would be the same this time around if it was just down to a footballing decision. But Smith Rowe now has just two years left on his contract and has a strong desire to be playing regular football having sat on the bench for much of the last two seasons.
"So Arsenal would reluctantly let him leave should a good offer arrive from Fulham, Palace or anyone else."
Following on from that update, that desired bid appears to have arrived from Craven Cottage. As reported by The Guardian and other reliable media sources, Smith Rowe is now closer to joining Fulham in a £35 million deal, which would be a club-record fee for Marco Silva's side.
Fulham are believed to be confident of wrapping up an agreement soon, but Smith Rowe isn't the only player who could be departing London Colney in the near future.
Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson in talks to leave Arsenal
According to talkSPORT, both Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson are both actively attempting to find a new club as well.
The duo, on a combined £200,000-per-week, also found themselves struggling for consistent places in Arteta's starting lineups last season – and have been regularly tipped for the exit door before deadline day on August 30.
It is believed both Nketiah and Nelson are both in talks to leave Arsenal with Smith Rowe, but talkSPORT don't expand on which sides they are in discussions with. Nketiah has attracted serious interest from Marseille recently, with some reports claiming terms have been agreed, while Nelson has been a target for West Ham.
