A few weeks back when Aston Villa comfortably pipped Arsenal to the signing of Norwich City star Emi Buendia, not only did it send some sections of the Gunnars into meltdown, there were a few Villans who quite liked the idea of seeing us rub salt into the wound by making an approach for their young talent, Emile Smith Rowe.
Rumours of our interest in the 20-year-old quickly died off, but they were back with a bang today as The Athletic published an exclusive saying that we had now gone in with a firm ยฃ25million bid for the versatile attacking midfielder, but that we were rebuffed by Arsenal as they want to secure him to a new contract and have no intention of letting him leave. His existing deal ties him up until 2023.
๐จ Exclusive: Arsenal reject bid of around ยฃ25m from Aston Villa for midfielder Emile Smith Rowe. #AFC working to renew 20yoโs contract โ which ends in 2023 โ & have no interest in selling. #AVFC pursuit underlines their ambition this summer @TheAthleticUK https://t.co/sPsrVzOVw4
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 16, 2021
The England Under 21 international is certainly the type of player our transfer stance would suggest we’d be interested in, and although it’s believed we are moving for more experience in our captures this window, whilst he doesn’t boast much on that front, he did start 26 games for Arsenal in the PL and Europa League in 2020/21, with another seven substitute showings adding to his numbers. In those games, he chipped in with three goals and seven assists.
Vital Villa’s 2021 Summer Transfer Forum Thread
Whatever anyone thinks of Smith Rowe’s talents, and I don’t know much about him other than the name, if there is anything to this – building on our capture of Buendia – Villa are clearly flexing their muscles by going after top talent at European Super League (giggles) clubs.
It’s a massive statement of intent, even if it ultimately comes to nothing. We’re not battling for scraps anymore, and if we have genuinely made a bid for him, you can guarantee that in today’s modern football world, we have received a strong indication that Smith Rowe is open to at least entertaining the possibility of a move and given his star is on the rise at Arsenal, it shows just how far we have come in such a short space of time.
That fact hasn’t gone unnoticed by some Arsenal fans and a few others as you scan around the interweb.
Smith Said Targets Would Excite Fans...
I'm Loving It - We're Back

We're Never Getting Smith Rowe

Villa fully trying to ruin our season what is this
— Novack ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ (@NovackDesign) June 16, 2021
Villa look serious ๐
— . (@Scholeseh) June 16, 2021
Weโve got no chance for Grealish lol, weโre just having fun ffs ๐
— NT๐ช๐ท (@NT03s) June 16, 2021
Nah theyโre just better club than you
— Saj Chohan (@saj_chohan) June 16, 2021
Buy grealish as retaliation @Arsenal
— Jonas (@GeeraertsJonas) June 16, 2021
The cheek of it
— Elliot Lane ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ (@ElliotLane11) June 16, 2021
Bless them. They must be joking in Brum
— Ryan (@ryan_woolnough) June 16, 2021
The Audacity after snatching Buendia from us
— The Song Writer (@Sipho_Arsenal) June 16, 2021
aston villa been working magic this summer really ๐ฅ
— ian (@iankemboi1) June 16, 2021
Who gassed this small club
— ๐ต๐ธ (@elmi01_) June 16, 2021
Villa are genuinely showing more ambition than Arsenal…
— โโู (@Tom72ii) June 16, 2021
They wonโt get him but I admire the ambition ๐. As for Manchester United…
— MUFC_Ay (@AY__MUFC) June 16, 2021
Aston Villa have no respect ๐ theyโre actually moving more ambitious than us ๐คฆ๐พโโ๏ธ wtf is going on
— Shane (@KiingAllen) June 16, 2021
The balls on villa man๐
— Lam Gooner๐ธ๐ฑ (@Lam_Gooner) June 16, 2021
Why are Villa so intent with destroying Arsenal lmao
— Adam (@AdxmLFC) June 16, 2021
๐! Where tf is Aston Villa getting all these money that we donโt have to strengthen our club! They are tryna ridicule us! ๐คฆ๐พโโ๏ธ
— ๐ #EndSARS #EndSwat AFC โ๐ฝ (@ArsenalNo_01Fan) June 16, 2021
The disrespect from Villa is becoming unbecoming!
— Molly (@Molly__Leeds) June 16, 2021
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Maybe he can be tempted into a move to a club with a European Cup in the trophy cabinet. Right now our odds of lifting another one must be shorter than Arsenal lifting their first. Isn’t this a great time to be a Villan.