After Pep Guardiola’s transfer choice for Manchester City faltered, Mikel Arteta confronts him.

In light of Newcastle’s interest in Arsenal academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe, Mikel Arteta may soon find himself at a crossroads over his future in football.

Prior to the 2022–23 season, Smith Rowe, 23, had already established himself as a major member of Arteta’s squad. However, after suffering a problematic groin injury, he found it difficult to regain a starting position. After making only 12 Premier League appearances the previous season, the Hale End graduate has been given a gradual return to action this year.
Smith Rowe may be a bit of a fringe player at the Emirates right now, but fans from other places have taken notice of his extraordinary skill. Newcastle intends to test Arsenal’s resolve when the transfer window reopens in January despite the versatile attacking midfielder remaining put despite transfer rumors in the summer.

Smith Rowe has emerged as a transfer target for Newcastle, according to a recent report from The Northern Echo, but the Magpies would need to “get creative” to raise the money necessary to sign the midfielder, who is valued at £50 million.

Arteta will have to consider carefully if it would be wise to allow Smith Rowe to join a team that can now be thought of as a rival after Newcastle finished third in the Premier League and qualified for the Champions League last season.

When it came to a similar position last summer, Pep Guardiola of Manchester City decided to sell both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to the Gunners, giving Arsenal the upper hand. However, it backfired, as the Londoners ran City close in the title race.

Arteta, who has previously emphasized that Smith Rowe will have numerous opportunities with the Arsenal first squad this season, won’t be blind to that. The Spaniard hopes to advance in the title fight this season, so bolstering a direct opponent would jeopardize Arsenal’s own prospects of winning the Premier League.

Arteta has more than two and a half months before January to think things over before making a choice. It is still unclear, as the story notes, if Newcastle will have the funds to pay for a deal for Smith Rowe.