According to The Daily Mail, Leeds United are one of the sides interested in signing Arsenal starlet Emile Smith Rowe on loan this summer.
What’s the word?
Marcelo Bielsa’s side look to be on the verge of completing a deal for Valencia forward Rodrigo, and it now seems they also have their attentions on another attack-minded player in Smith Rowe.
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The Daily Mail claim that French side AS Monaco have seen their offer of a permanent deal for the England youth international rebuffed, but that Premier League new boys Fulham and Leeds are interested in pursuing a loan deal.
The 20-year-old spent the second-half of last season on loan at Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig, but struggled to get much game-time following struggles with injury, playing just three times in the league.
Imagine him and Hernandez
One of the stars of Leeds’ Championship-winning campaign last season was undoubtedly Pablo Hernandez. The Spaniard scored nine times and provided a further nine assists, and was particularly exceptional when football restarted back in June – in the Whites’ last five games, he found the back of the net on three occasions, and set up three others, despite only playing the full 90 minutes in just one of those matches.
Hernandez’ creativity and ability to fashion chances for others from that attacking midfield position is something that Leeds currently don’t have a back-up for. But if they can manage to get Smith Rowe in, then they will have someone who could either rotate with him, or even give Bielsa’s side even more attacking thrust by playing alongside him.
Smith Rowe’s performances at Huddersfield last season were impressive, with Terriers boss Danny Cowley saying: “Emile Smith Rowe is just a really lovely player, isn’t he? He has that ability to find space. He could find space in a telephone box. He speeds the play up for you and draws and commits. I am always going to be demanding of him because, to me, he is a Premier League player so I have to treat him like that and demand Premier League standards from him.”
Bringing the Gunners youngster on loan this summer just seems like a no-brainer for Leeds.