Arsenal may face Unai Emery transfer raid for 'humble star' as injury replacement

Arsenal could face a transfer raid from their former manager Unai Emery. The Spaniard may decide to make a late move for Emile Smith Rowe. Aston Villa boss Emery, who described Smith Rowe as “humble” after handing the ace his Gunners debut five years ago, is on the hunt for an attacker after Emi Buendia injured his knee before the start of the season.

Smith Rowe first appeared for Arsenal in a Europa League showdown with Vorskla Poltava in September 2018. The 23-year-old then became a regular starter under Mikel Arteta during the 2020/21 campaign but barely got a sniff of action last season after falling behind Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in the pecking order.

According to The Times, Smith Rowe has been offered to an unnamed Premier League team, with the Gunners open to the idea of cashing in on the player. Back in April, talkSPORT revealed that the England under-21s international was being targeted by Aston Villa two years after the Villans had a £30million offer for him turned down. And Emery, who took charge of the 1982 European champions last November, is certainly a fan.

After Smith Rowe had bagged a goal during a 3-0 Europa League victory over Qarabag two weeks after making his debut, Emery was asked to pinpoint the youngster’s traits that had impressed him. And the ex-Paris Saint-Germain manager explained: “The quality he has physically and mentally.

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“He also has quality in his right foot, with working in attacking moments with any player. If I say one condition [which has impressed me most], I say his mentality. He is humble, he listens every day in training, in video analysis and before every match.”

Smith Rowe has gone on to bag 18 goals and 11 assists in 97 appearances for Arsenal but is said to be growing frustrated by his lack of opportunities at the Emirates. And if Aston Villa table a bid before Friday’s transfer deadline, the player could find the opportunity to link up with Emery once again too tempting to turn down.

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Villa have started the season strongly, despite suffering a 5-1 thrashing at Newcastle on the opening weekend. The west Midlands giants thumped Everton 4-0 in their second match of the campaign before seeing off Burnley 3-1 last time out and have climbed to seventh in the Premier League table.

But they have been forced to go into the season without influential winger Buendia. The 26-year-old Argentina international suffered a significant knee ligament injury in training before the campaign got underway and could be out of action for eight months.