Fulham remain undeterred in their quest to sign Arsenal forward Emile Smith Rowe despite seeing an initial bid turned down.
According to the Evening Standard, the Cottagers are readying a second bid to sign Smith Rowe as part of their plans to bolster their attacking options.
The 23-year-old has endured a torrid spell at the Emirates Stadium. Due to recurring injury problems, he has struggled for regular first-team opportunities over the past two seasons.
Smith Rowe still has two years left on his contract, but a change of scenery might be what he needs to recapture his best form.
The playmaker was once regarded as one of the most talented players to graduate from Arsenal’s academy, but he has yet to live up to expectations.
Smith Rowe has only shown flashes of his brilliance. Injuries have severely hampered his development, and he may not be at Arsenal for much longer.
He wants to remain at the club beyond this summer, but a summer exit could be in the best interest of all parties involved.
Despite his reluctance to leave the club, Fulham are preparing to submit an improved proposal after seeing their initial bid of around £25 million turned down over the weekend.
Aston Villa were interested in signing Smith Rowe three years ago, but the Gunners deemed their £30m bid insufficient.
Considering the player has fallen down the pecking order since then, they are unlikely to turn down a similar offer this summer.
Smith Rowe featured 19 times across all competitions last season, chipping in with two assists.
His potential exit will boost Arsenal’s spending power, with the club looking to reinforce every area of the squad ahead of another potential Premier League title challenge.
Arsenal have registered interest in Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams and Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino, but they must offload players to make room for fresh recruits.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com.
