Emile Smith-Rowe Set to Join Fulham

According to Fabrizio Romano, who Football Park rate as a tier one source, Fulham are set to secure the services of Emile Smith-Rowe.

⚫️⚪️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Fulham and Arsenal have all documents in place, set to be signed after medical for Emile Smith-Rowe.

£27m plus £7m add-ons package, confirmed. pic.twitter.com/xMfoL1Xon7

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 30, 2024

The midfielder has left Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the USA in order to complete his move to South West London. The England international is already back in the UK, and is set to undergo medical testing with Fulham tomorrow.

Personal terms between the player and Fulham are already agreed, and as long as Smith-Rowe passes his medical it’s expected that he’ll be signed and ready to join Fulham for their pre-season trip to Portugal.

🚨Emile Smith Rowe has agreed personal terms in principle with #Fulham & will have medical this week ahead of joining up with the squad in Portugal later this week. @SkySportsNews
⚫⚪#FFC #Transfers #TransferNews pic.twitter.com/OltgkgOHnz

— FulhamFanNews (@FulhamTransfer) July 29, 2024

How Much Will Smith-Rowe Cost Fulham?

In what could amount to a club record for the Cottagers, they have agreed an initial fee of £27 million for Smith-Rowe, with a potential £7 million in add-ons thought to be linked to Fulham’s future domestic and potential European performances. Fulham’s previous record transfer came in 2018, when they splashed £25 million on Jean-Michael Seri.

Should the conditions of additional payments be made, Smith-Rowe will overtake Alex Oxalade-Chamberlain as Arsenal’s record sale.

Why is Smith Rowe Leaving Arsenal?

Despite finding immediate success early in his professional career with the Gunners, Smith-Rowe’s involvement in recent seasons has been limited. At his peak, Smith-Rowe was touted by many as Arsenal’s most important player, and he was even handed the iconic number ten shirt at the Emirates.

OFFICIAL: Emile Smith Rowe signs a new contract with Arsenal until 2026...and takes the number 10 shirt ✨ pic.twitter.com/RPhfKdw41H

— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 22, 2021

After struggling for minutes following successive injuries, including a significant injury to the 24-year-old’s groin which required surgery, Smith Rowe only made 13 premier league appearances last season. It hasn’t helped that Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have both come into form at different points since they arrived at the Emirates.

With Smith-Rowe reportedly desperate to return to England ahead of the 2026 World Cup in America, playing time is a key aspect to Smith-Rowe’s decision to leave Arsenal.

Where Does Smith-Rowe Fit at Fulham?

Following the departures of both Willian and Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Fulham will likely deploy Smith-Rowe on the left flank, allowing him the licence to drift into midfield whilst Andreas Pereira will assist compatriot Rodrigo Muniz with an organised press to the opposing defensive line.

The role has been proven effective by Smith-Rowe’s former Arsenal teammate Alex Iwobi, who operates in a similar position off the right side, and has arguably played his best football under Marco Silva both at Everton and Fulham.

Silva has proven countless times that he is able to reignite players who appear to have lost their momentum in their career, with Willian and Andreas Pereira both key examples of players who have had stunted development that thrived under the Portuguese manager.

Whilst I expect that Smith-Rowe will primarily operate on the left wing, should Ryan Sessegnon return to the form he previously showed at Fulham, Smith-Rowe could also prove a dangerous option playing as an attacking midfielder, where he was mostly deployed at the Emirates.