Fulham sign Smith Rowe from Arsenal for club record fee

Fulham have confirmed the signing of Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal for a club-record fee of £34million.

The 24-year-old has penned a five-year contract with the option to extend it for a further year in a deal initially worth £27million with a further £7million in potential add-ons.

Smith Rowe joined Arsenal’s academy aged 10 and moved through the ranks before making his first-team debut in 2018, establishing himself in the squad in 2020.

He went on to make 115 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal, netting 18 goals, but fell down the pecking order at the club as he struggled for fitness.

“I’m finally here, so I’m really happy for me and my family – it’s a good moment,” Smith Rowe told FFCtv.

ESR SW6

Welcome to London’s Original, @emilesmithrowe.

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 2, 2024

“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, speaking to the manager, and seeing what players we have here already, I think it’s an exciting project for me, and definitely the perfect step for my career going forward.”

Smith Rowe arrives at Craven Cottage on the back of a frustrating campaign, having made just three starts in the Premier League and playing only 347 minutes.

He is Fulham’s second signing of the transfer window, after Ryan Sessegnon’s return to the club, with the Cottagers also interested in signing Scott McTominay from Manchester United.