Arsenal star a target for Premier League rival

Arsenal will be hoping to keep the pressure up on Premier League leaders Liverpool when they face Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

The Gunners arrive at Turf Moor off the back of a convincing 6-0 victory over West Ham United – their fourth consecutive win in the Premier League – last weekend at The London Stadium.

Their recent good run of form means Mikel Arteta’s side now sit just two points behind the Reds, and level on points with reigning champions Manchester City.

Off the pitch, though, Arsenal could face a battle to keep hold of one of their stars when the transfer window opens this summer.

According to Football Insider, both Newcastle United and Aston Villa have shown an interest in Gunners midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe.

Smith-Rowe has attracted interest from other Premier League clubs

The Englishman is a product of the Gunners’ youth academy but has failed to ever establish himself as a regular at The Emirates.

In total the England international has played 110 times for Arsenal across all competitions, scoring 18 goals and providing 12 assists.

This season Smith-Rowe has made 14 appearances but has failed to score, providing just a single assist in a 5-0 win over Sheffield United.

The report claims that both the Magpies and the Villans could approach Arsenal for the midfielder if he is made available for sale when the transfer window reopens this summer.

Smith-Rowe spent the second half of the 2018/19 campaign on loan at German side RB Leipzig, and has also spent time with Championship club Huddersfield Town.

The player’s current contract is set to run until 2026, but Arsenal could have to make a difficult decision if they receive interest this summer.