Fulham have completed the signing of Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe for a club record £27 million, with a further £7 million in add-ons. The 23-year-old has struggled for appearances over the last two years, largely due to injuries. Recent Arsenal signings have also seen the Englishman’s opportunities in the squad diminish.
What Smith Rowe Will Bring To Europe-Chasing Fulham
Former Important Figure
Smith Rowe was once central to Mikel Arteta’s rebuild. However, injury problems, combined with a change of formation at the Emirates, led to the attacker watching from the sidelines, as Arsenal twice fought for the Premier League.
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However, Smith Rowe has now completed a move across London to Fulham. It represents a fall from grace for the 24-year-old, who scored ten league goals in the 2021/22 season.
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A switch to Craven Cottage represents a chance for him to reignite his career. Will he live up to his £34 million fee, and will the Gunners regret letting their “strong and energetic” wonderkid go?
Smith-Rowe Hoping To Challenge Pereira
Fulham struggled for creativity last season, with no player getting more than ten goal contributions in the league. Smith Rowe may take time to settle, given his lack of recent game time, but he will to establish himself as their leading attacking midfielder.
His main competition for starts will be Andreas Pereira, who occupied that spot most of last season. Pereira undoubtedly had a strong campaign, but his lack of goals put pressure on fellow attackers.
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Alternatively, the Englishman brings goals to the team. During the 2021/22 season, where he occupied the number 10 role, he was able to dictate play and provide necessary support to the attack. The central role suits his passing abilities whilst compensating for his relative lack of pace and defensive instinct.
Smith Rowe was Arsenal’s second-best performer that season in terms of both goals and goal contributions. He comfortably outperformed his expected goals, evidencing his clinical nature. Comparatively, Pereira underperformed relative to his expected goals last season.
Fulham will hope that Smith Rowe has not lost his touch, as injuries have disrupted the young Englishman’s career. He undoubtedly will have lost confidence and match sharpness, but Marco Silva’s system will certainly exploit the attacker’s best qualities.
Will Arsenal Regret The Sale?
Arteta certainly rates the palayer highly, but his transfer ultimately is due to a transition period at Arsenal. Smith Rowe is simply not suited to the 4-3-3 formation. His defensive weaknesses are exposed if he plays alongside Martin Odegaard, and he is not direct enough to play on the left flank.
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Theoretically, he could have worked in the ‘false nine’ position that Kai Havertz stars in. However, the manager is understandably reluctant to rotate Havertz when the German is performing so well.
Ultimately, it will be the fans who will miss him the most, as the academy product was a popular figure. Smith Rowe’s sale is a clear indication of the Gunners’ intent, as they streamline their squad for another title challenge.
