Fulham have submitted a club-record bid worth up to £35m to sign Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.
Smith Rowe is keen to leave Arsenal after struggling for fitness and favor over the past two seasons and is open to crossing the capital to join Fulham. The Cottagers are nearing an agreement with Arsenal over a deal that would represent a club-record fee, surpassing the £25m spent on Jean Michael Seri in 2018.
Crystal Palace have also shown interest in Smith Rowe, but Fulham are leading the chase, having seen an initial proposal of £30m turned down.
The 23-year-old will hope a transfer can reignite his career, which has stalled since his breakout 2021-22 campaign when he scored 10 league goals and earned a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Last season, he featured for just 347 minutes in the Premier League due to competition from Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Martinelli.
Smith Rowe could become Fulham’s first signing of the summer as they aim to build on last season’s 13th-placed finish. The Cottagers are also interested in signing a central defender following the departure of Tosin Adarabioyo to Chelsea.
