SMITH-ROWE: TWO VILLA BIDS REJECTED

Aston Villa have had two bids rejected for Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe according to English publication The Athletic. It was revealed that the Gunners turned down the two Villa bids as they have no intention of selling the young English midfielder.

Earlier this month, the same media outlet reported that the Gunners knocked back the £25m bid from Aston Villa and that the club will return with an improved bid for the player. Villa have now returned with an improved bid of £30m for Emile Smith-Rowe and it was met with the same resistance as the first bid. Arsenal have reiterated their stance to Villa that the player is not for sale in the aftermath of the second bid.

Arsenal see Smith-Rowe as a major part of their future after impressing in the starting XI last season. Smith-Rowe was on the fringes of the Arsenal first teambefore Gunners boss Mikel Arteta gave him an opportunity to stake a claim for a first team spot during the home clash with Chelsea in December. Smith-Rowe seized the opportunity and he went on to establish himself as one of the first names in the Arsenal starting XI.

Since establishing himself in the Arsenal XI, England junior international Smith-Rowe scored four times and provided six assists in 33 games in all competitions.

Smith-Rowe has established himself as the attacking midfielder behind the lone striker at Arsenal and the club has plans to add another player for the same role thus leading to transfer rumoursinvolving players like James Maddison and Emiliano Buendia this summer. Buendia was a Norwich City player before Aston Villa signed him earlier this month ahead of the Gunners. For England international Maddison, it has been reported in the media that Arsenal will have to offer more than £60m to secure his transfer from Leicester City.