Agbonlahor: '£100m' Smith Rowe tipped to be pushing for Aston Villa move behind the scenes
Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed Emile Smith Rowe may have expressed a desire behind the scenes to quit Arsenal for Aston Villa.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Villa's record Premier League goalscorer claimed Smith Rowe could be worth £100million in five years time.
Football Insider learned yesterday (6 July) Villa have been given encouragement a deal can be done.
They are submitting a third offer just shy of their record transfer fee of £33million after having bids of £25million and £30million rejected.
"When you try and sign a player, you speak to the player before you put a bid in, that's how it works," Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
"Club's don't put bids in for players who won't want to go to their club.
"It happened with me and Spurs. Spurs were speaking to my agent and finding out if I wanted to come before they put a bid in. When they found out I said 'no' they didn't put a bid in.
"Normally wages and intent are agreed behind the club's back before a bid is put in.
"It wouldn't surprise me if Smith Rowe and the club had spoken and he wants to come because there's no point putting bids in and the club agreeing to it for him to turn around and say 'no'. Something's definitely happening with it.
"It's a player that's got high quality and one for the future. He's still got a lot to learn and improve on. But if you look at Jack Grealish at the age Smith Rowe is now... He can always improve, so you never know.
"We might be looking back in another five years at a £100million player. He's got that about him. He's a similar sort of talent."