3 players that could replace Emile Smith Rowe at Arsenal

After an inspiring 14-year journey, Emile Smith Rowe is now on the verge of leaving the club. A permanent transfer to Fulham is all but signed now, and it marks the end of an era and the start of a new one in the player's career.

For Arsenal though, there is a bittersweet feeling around this transfer. The loss of a fantastic talent, that had been caught in the wrong physical state at the wrong time, is unfortunate to see. On the other hand, a quick cash boost has just been added to the spending allowance for this summer.

Ultimately, Arsenal should mount another title challenge next season, and for that to happen, the squad must be prepared to withstand the oncoming storms. Smith Rowe's injury woes meant his talent was never able to come to fruition and it might just be better to take the opportunity and introduce a new face to the dressing room. Here are three options the club could sign to take the 24-year-old's place.

1. Mikel Merino

Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal will make an approach for the Euros winner soon. So among all the options, Mikel Merino looks the most likely to be at the Emirates next season.

Standing at 6'2, and with the feet of a classic Spanish technician, Merino plays with elegance on the ball and isn't afraid to show some grit when off it, which is precisely what the manager seems to be after. He serves as a nice, well-rounded solution to bullet-proof Arsenal's midfield depth.

The squad was generally quite stretched in that regard last season, and they would've been much worse off if it wasn't for Declan Rice's outstanding availability record. Merino's introduction would alleviate some of the Englishman's No. 8 responsibilities, allowing for a bit more flexibility in rotation.

Although not a like-for-like replacement, it's a smart signing regardless. Merino can take Smith Rowe's allocation of minutes, the midfield department gets a better balance all-round, all without the board having to break the bank as well. And if that wasn't enough, his name is Mikel too - the last one worked out better than most expected.

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