Emile Smith Rowe has finalized his transfer from Arsenal to Fulham for a fee that may reach £34m with additional add-ons. This marks a record purchase for Fulham and is Arsenal’s largest sale since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain moved to Liverpool for £35m in 2017.
Smith Rowe, a product of Arsenal’s youth academy, has faced limited playing time over the last two seasons, primarily due to groin and knee injuries. Out of his 25 Premier League appearances during this timeframe, only three were starts—all occurring last season. He hopes this move will help him return to contention for the England squad. The attacking midfielder earned three caps between late 2021 and early 2022.
Fulham’s initial £30m bid was rejected before they successfully reached an agreement that exceeds the club’s previous record of £27m paid for Ivorian midfielder Jean Michaël Seri in 2018. This transfer fee is also the highest Arsenal has received for a graduate of their academy.
Expressing his excitement on Fulham’s website, Smith Rowe said: “I’m really excited, I just wanted to get here as quickly as possible so I could get going with my teammates. Listening to the project, talking to the manager [Marco Silva], and seeing the players we already have, I believe it’s an exciting project for me, and definitely the right step for my career moving forward.”
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At 24 years old, Smith Rowe is Fulham’s second signing of the summer, following the return of Ryan Sessegnon on a free transfer after his tenure at Tottenham.
