Emile Smith Rowe

[OutByEaster?]

You'd have to imagine we're getting some encouragement from the player if we're coming back with bids. Either he's genuinely interested, or is agent is doing an exceptional job of playing Villa and Arsenal off against each other to get his client a great deal.

 

[ramshackler]

As funny and brilliant as this signing would be, I just can’t see this as anything other than agent upping his clients contract. 
he is playing regularly at his boyhood team who at the moment are a bigger club than us and he can continue living at home close to family in the city he grew up in. Just makes no sense unless Arsenal have indicated he will not be first team, but can’t see why they would

[brommy]

3 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

You'd have to imagine we're getting some encouragement from the player if we're coming back with bids. Either he's genuinely interested, or is agent is doing an exceptional job of playing Villa and Arsenal off against each other to get his client a great deal.

 

I suspect the latter - being fed by little more than polite interest in moving, knowing it can only help drive up ESR’s new contract value. Arsenal may be willing to wait before considering any contract increase, effectively calling ESR’s bluff. ESR’s football upbringing points towards a new contract at Arsenal at a slightly lower value than Villa’s offer. I still suspect Villa’s interest will cost Arsenal over £5m more than they intended to offer; to their annoyance and our competitive advantage.

[brommy]

I’m wondering if Villa’s valuation of ESR is increased above others (possibly even Arsenal’s) by his potential to fill Jack’s absence. Similarities in their playing style have been noted and ESR could help fill a gap caused by Grealish’s short term (injury, suspension) or long term (if our one or two season shot at Europe fails) absence. I like to think our relatively new way of forward planning is aiming to avoid the ‘Oh ****, what now?!’ moments.

[brummybloke]

Can't see us upping the offer much more unless it's conditional. Offering too much means other transfer targets become more expensive.

 

[sparrow1988]

14 hours ago, beachboys1 said:

i love to see ian wrights face if he signs

 

[Mazrim]

1 hour ago, ramshackler said:

As funny and brilliant as this signing would be, I just can’t see this as anything other than agent upping his clients contract. 
he is playing regularly at his boyhood team who at the moment are a bigger club than us and he can continue living at home close to family in the city he grew up in. Just makes no sense unless Arsenal have indicated he will not be first team, but can’t see why they would

You really think our recruitment team are that naive? I highly doubt it.. Either we've bid or we haven't. If we have, it's because we know the player is open to it.

Arsenal will want to keep him of course, and may well do. But they won't want to be paying him a fortune when their salary situation is already horrible and with no Champions League to show for it and money needed for new signings. 

Maybe he just smells what NSWE is cooking and likes it. He won't be alone there.

 

[Ponky]

From my observations, Villa generally don't play games with transfers to unsettle other clubs or their players. Neither do they entertain shenanigans from agents/players.

They are trying to buy this kid because they think he is gettable, and because none of the parties has said a flat out NO.

[Steero113]

11 minutes ago, Ponky said:

From my observations, Villa generally don't play games with transfers to unsettle other clubs or their players. Neither do they entertain shenanigans from agents/players.

They are trying to buy this kid because they think he is gettable, and because none of the parties has said a flat out NO.

Agreed. A number of clubs who have sold players to us in the last 2 years have mentioned how honourable and easy to deal with our recruitment team have been. 

Pissing Arsenal up the wall is not our style (even though its hilarious). 

[Delphinho123]

11 minutes ago, Ponky said:

From my observations, Villa generally don't play games with transfers to unsettle other clubs or their players. Neither do they entertain shenanigans from agents/players.

They are trying to buy this kid because they think he is gettable, and because none of the parties has said a flat out NO.

The second bid is a strange one. The more I think about it, the more I think Arsenal must be welcoming the bids. Surely they would just have said from the start - ‘he’s 60m, that’s the price’, and then we walk away? 

Why are we going back with a second bid of 30m? Villa aren’t going to be wasting time on this if they don’t think it can be done. 

Don’t think I can remember a transfer that I’ve wanted to happen more than this one. Fully expect it to end in ESR signing a new deal! 

[Mazrim]

1 hour ago, brommy said:

I’m wondering if Villa’s valuation of ESR is increased above others (possibly even Arsenal’s) by his potential to fill Jack’s absence. Similarities in their playing style have been noted and ESR could help fill a gap caused by Grealish’s short term (injury, suspension) or long term (if our one or two season shot at Europe fails) absence. I like to think our relatively new way of forward planning is aiming to avoid the ‘Oh ****, what now?!’ moments.

Exactly. We need contingencies against Jack not being there because that's exactly what happened last season and we fell off a cliff. In the meantime they'll play some lovely stuff together (if we get him).

[StanBalaban]

2 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

You'd have to imagine we're getting some encouragement from the player if we're coming back with bids. Either he's genuinely interested, or is agent is doing an exceptional job of playing Villa and Arsenal off against each other to get his client a great deal.

 

His agent doesn't seem to have any other high profile clients, so I'd be surprised if he's playing Purslow and Edu like a fiddle. I also think that we're all business when it comes to these matters. I can't imagine Purslow, NS or WE having the time to mess around without some inclination that it can be done.

[Made In Aston]

3 minutes ago, StanBalaban said:

His agent doesn't seem to have any other high profile clients, so I'd be surprised if he's playing Purslow and Edu like a fiddle.

Surely that is more reason to play games, as Smith-Rowe is his only meal ticket. 

[MachoFantastico]

Not at all convinced by these reports regarding ESR, think it's just paper talk. 

[StanBalaban]

4 minutes ago, Made In Aston said:

Surely that is more reason to play games, as Smith-Rowe is his only meal ticket. 

I could be doing the agent chap a major disservice here, but you would think that an experienced CEO like Purslow would be able to see through such games.

[Don_Simon]

Some Arsenal friends of mine, in our group chat six months ago, had ESR as their saviour, the one bright spark in an otherwise dismal, and deteriorating existence 

Last night, when we discussed the (possible) second bid, they said they want him gone now, he's messing them about over the contract and they've got better youth players anyway. (Including a Romanian kid who is apparently the new Hagi). 

[lexicon]

42 minutes ago, Don_Simon said:

Some Arsenal friends of mine, in our group chat six months ago, had ESR as their saviour, the one bright spark in an otherwise dismal, and deteriorating existence 

Last night, when we discussed the (possible) second bid, they said they want him gone now, he's messing them about over the contract and they've got better youth players anyway. (Including a Romanian kid who is apparently the new Hagi). 

On the other side, my Arsenal supporting mate is adamant that they need to keep him and build the team around players like him, Saka and Martinelli. 

[brommy]

27 minutes ago, Don_Simon said:

Some Arsenal friends of mine, in our group chat six months ago, had ESR as their saviour, the one bright spark in an otherwise dismal, and deteriorating existence 

Last night, when we discussed the (possible) second bid, they said they want him gone now, he's messing them about over the contract and they've got better youth players anyway. (Including a Romanian kid who is apparently the new Hagi). 

Two merely alleged bids from little old Aston Villa and some Arsenal fans roll over and want him gone. That was quick! Attempting to save face when probably unnecessary. I assume they’ll flip-flop again when ESR signs a bumper 5 year deal at Arsenal and proclaim he’s worth every penny.

 

 

[Tommo_b]

3 hours ago, ramshackler said:

As funny and brilliant as this signing would be, I just can’t see this as anything other than agent upping his clients contract. 
he is playing regularly at his boyhood team who at the moment are a bigger club than us and he can continue living at home close to family in the city he grew up in. Just makes no sense unless Arsenal have indicated he will not be first team, but can’t see why they would

Or it’s a really toxic environment and he hates the people he works for, same as being in your dream job and than realising it’s full of pillocks you can’t stand.

[brommy]

58 minutes ago, StanBalaban said:

I could be doing the agent chap a major disservice here, but you would think that an experienced CEO like Purslow would be able to see through such games.

Villa, Arsenal and ESR’s agent all know the game. For it to work, both outcomes (an increased contract offer at Arsenal and a sizeable bid and contract from Villa) need to be credible. I still see the increased Arsenal contract as more likely but that shouldn’t stop Purslow and co from rolling the dice.