Arsenal demand a HEFTY £60m fee for out-of-favour West Ham target

If Arsenal are to sell their Hale End graduate to West Ham United in January, Mikel Arteta is demanding a hefty transfer fee of around £60m.

Part of the January transfer window strategy for Arsenal which isn’t spoken about is Mikel Arteta’s tough decision of which players will leave. Of course, the main focus will always be on which players come in, but to achieve this, some players must go.

There are obvious candidates such as Cedric Soares who didn’t get their moves away in the summer window. But, the harsh truth is, Emile Smith Rowe is also at risk of leaving the club he loves.

Emile Smith Rowe is a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium and being a Hale End graduate, everybody would love to see him succeed. The last few seasons have been hellbent with injuries for the England international. But now he’s back, he’s picking up some consistent appearances from the bench, which he hopes will transcend into the starting lineup.

It’s difficult to break into the current Arsenal starting lineup. When everyone is fit, the starting lineup looks essentially bulletproof for Arteta. Luckily for Smith Rowe, there’s rarely a time where everybody is fit and, of course, he has the ability to play in multiple positions.

Arsenal demand £60m from West Ham United for Emile Smith Rowe

Regardless, West Ham United are monitoring his situation and they would like to sign him in January if he doesn’t pick up game time between now and then. But since this report, there’s been an update on Arsenal’s valuation for their out-of-favour youngster.

According to a report from TEAMtalk (via Caught Offside), Arsenal will ask for £60m if West Ham would like to sign Emile Smith Rowe. At face value, this is a lot for a player who hardly starts but Mikel Arteta values him highly and he’s an exceptional footballer.

Do you think West Ham will pay £60m for Emile Smith Rowe?