November 7th 2024.
Jamie O'Hara, a former Spurs star who is now a football pundit, shared his thoughts on Arsenal's decision to sell Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham in the last summer transfer window. He believes it was a mistake that has left the team in a difficult position.
Smith Rowe, a highly regarded youth player who came up through Arsenal's Hale End academy, had made a name for himself in Mikel Arteta's first team. However, after spending 14 years at the club and making 114 appearances, he was sold to Fulham for a hefty fee of £34m.
O'Hara, who used to play for Tottenham, believes that Arsenal's north London rivals will eventually regret letting go of the talented 24-year-old attacking midfielder. In an interview with Grosvenor Sport, he stated that Arsenal had put themselves in a tough spot by relying on Martin Odegaard's fitness and not bringing in a center forward.
He also pointed out that playing Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard in the No.10 position has not been successful for Arsenal. O'Hara believes that Smith Rowe could have filled that role and made a difference for the team. He also mentioned Reiss Nelson, who recently played well for Fulham, as another player who could have helped the struggling Arsenal team.
Despite only playing 10 Premier League games for Fulham, Smith Rowe has already contributed two goals and two assists. It's clear that he has made an impact on his new team and his former manager, Marco Silva, revealed that he was their top target as soon as Arsenal showed interest in selling him.
Silva praised Smith Rowe's rare qualities and stated that they were looking for a player with his profile to add creativity and technical ability in the attacking midfield position. He also mentioned that they had to work hard to secure his signature and that he has the potential to make a difference for Fulham.
It's clear that Arsenal's decision to sell Smith Rowe has not gone unnoticed. O'Hara believes it was a mistake, and even Silva has praised the player's abilities. Only time will tell if Arsenal will come to regret their decision, but for now, Smith Rowe seems to be thriving at Fulham.
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