Aston Villa need to end pursuit for talent who has ‘verbal agreement’ with club – TBR View

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Aston Villa have had a second bid rejected for Emile Smith Rowe as reported by the Athletic.

The 20-year-old playmaker was one of the Gunners key players in the second half of last season. And it’s easy to see why Villa are attempting such an ambitious move for the Premier League star.

Smith Rowe has just two years remaining on his current deal in north London. Arsenal also finished just three places higher in the Premier League table than Villa. The gap in quality between the two sides has never been closer for some time.

Villa are wasting their time trying to sign Smith Rowe

Yet with the Gunners rejecting a £30m offer for the midfielder and Fabrizio Romano reporting that Arsenal have ‘a verbal agreement’ with Smith Rowe over a new deal, Villa’s pursuit looks like a lost cause.

Indeed, it is surprising that, as per the Athletic report, Villa will still attempt to sign Smith Rowe.

With a second bid being turned down by Arsenal and the midfielder looking extremely likely to stay with his boyhood club, the Midlands side are just wasting their time trying to sign the 20-year-old playmaker.

Second creative signing would be an expensive roadblock

With Emi Buendia signed for a club-record fee and the Telegraph reporting that Jack Grealish could be signing a new contract with Villa, adding a third creative midfielder would be overdoing it, to say the least.

Moreover, Carney Chukwuemeka will likely to be handed a first-team role next season. And Smith Rowe will just act as an expensive roadblock for a prospect many Villa supporters are excited to see following from his impressive year at youth level.

There’s no doubt that Smith Rowe is a special player who could develop into a top playmaker in England. But for Villa, the Arsenal star just does not make sense as a summer signing this year for Smith’s side.