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Mikel Arteta provides Emile Smith Rowe transfer update after Bournemouth draw
- Mikel Arteta explained why Emile Smith Rowe didn't play in Bournemouth friendly
- Arsenal drew 1-1 with Cherries in California
- Fulham closing in on £35m agreement for Smith Rowe
Mikel Arteta all but confirmed Emile Smith Rowe's impending departure when asked why the English midfielder wasn't involved in Arsenal's first pre-season game of their US tour against Bournemouth.
A youthful Gunners drew 1-1 with the Cherries in California on Wednesday night. Fabio Vieira opened the scoring with a fine volley before a deflected Antoine Semenyo effort pegged Arteta's men back. Arsenal then won the pre-arranged penalty shootout after Karl Hein saved two Bournemouth spot-kicks.
Before their tour opener got underway, news broke of Arsenal nearing an agreement with Fulham over Smith Rowe. The Hale End graduate is part of the touring squad and was expected to play some part on Wednesday night, but the latest development over his future ruled him out of action.
Mikel Arteta provides Emile Smith Rowe transfer update after Bournemouth draw
"There are things happening in the background and we decided the best thing to do was to keep him away."
— Gunners (@Gunnersc0m) July 25, 2024
Mikel Arteta on Emile Smith Rowe.pic.twitter.com/Bj9xhHFjXK
Speaking after Wednesday night's friendly, Arteta confirmed why Smith Rowe wasn't involved: "There are things happening in the background and we decided the best thing to do was to keep him away," he told reporters.
Given the news that broke just a couple of hours before kick-off, it doesn't exactly take a genius to work out what Arteta is inferring here.
While there has been some resistance from Arsenal to sell Smith Rowe this summer, the Gunners were not going to stick their noses up at any reasonable offer that might've arrived. Arsenal had rejected a £30m offer from Fulham for the 23-year-old, but the two clubs are now closing in on a £35m agreement.
Considering Smith Rowe's body of work over the past two seasons, securing that fee for the player would not be a bad result for the club - as sad as it would be to see him depart.
Arsenal require these sorts of funds to facilitate one or two more arrivals that will help them usurp Manchester City at the top of the Premier League next season. Riccardo Calafiori is poised to be the first outfield arrival of the summer, and there are strong murmurs regarding the potential of Real Socieded's Mikel Merino being a Gooner next term and beyond.
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