Ozil’s Arsenal exit could mean Town lose Emile...
Richard Stearman and Andy King in January while sending out another summer signing, Josh Koroma, on loan to Rotherham to get experience, tells you that Town may have had too much of an eye on the future and not enough sense of what was needed in the here and now.
Taking those two points in tandem makes us wonder – had Town misjudged the levels that would be required to compete in the Championship?
We don’t definitively know the answer to that question; it is possible that they knew full well what would be needed and simply made some wrong decisions towards achieving their objectives.
Whatever the truth of it, after the wake-up call they have been given this season, they certainly won’t be underestimating this division ahead of next season - whenever that might be - and should have a much greater clarity now about what is required of them to consistently compete in the Championship.
TOWN will be keeping a very close eye on how the transfer situation at Arsenal develops once the transfer window opens, with attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil widely expected to leave and the Gunners therefore on the lookout for their next key creative outlet.
Football.London’s Arsenal writer, Art De Roche, addressed the issue of Ozil’s successor in a fan Q&A – and believes Town loanee Emile Smith Rowe could be a very viable candidate.
Town would love to keep the 19- yearold into next season after the impact he has made so far at the John Smith’s Stadium, but whether Arsenal would be willing to sanction such a move will largely depend on whether manager Mikel Arteta would rather have him available as an option at the Emirates.
De Roche wrote: “At 31-years-old and with his contract ending in 2021, planning for a post-Mesut Ozil Arsenal is needed. Looking at the internal replacements, I’d say Emile Smith Rowe is the best option to fill the void. Although his spell at Huddersfield has been cut short [by the season’s postponement], in his 10 games there, he proved he could make a difference in men’s football. Next season may be a bit early to have him take the reins on a regular basis but he deserves the chance to prove himself.”
However, De Roche also points to a couple of alternatives Arsenal could go for in the transfer market - with Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish his personal pick for the role alongside Norwich City’s Emi Buendia. If Arsenal do dip into the market for a number 10 then the Terriers would surely be the first to put their hands up and enquire as to whether Smith Rowe’s stay at the club could be extended.