Sources: Arsenal ready to accept Matt Smith offer as Stoke City, QPR and Swansea City lead chase
Arsenal midfielder Matt Smith is a target for Stoke, Queens Park Rangers and Swansea this month, sources have told Football Insider.
The Championship trio are battling several European clubs to sign the 22-year-old before the 31 January cut-off.
Arsenal will listen to permanent and loan offers for Smith, who is well down the first team pecking order.
Stoke, QPR and Swansea are ready to offer Smith a permanent move as they ready deals.
The midfielder, who has come through the youth ranks at the Premier League leaders, has to make his competitive debut for the club despite being on the fringes of the first team.
He has spent the last couple of seasons out on loan at Swindon Town, Charlton Athletic and Doncaster Rovers to gain valuable first-team experience.
Smith had opportunities to go out on loan again last summer but opted to stay and fight for his place in Mikel Arteta’s first XI.
The midfielder has made 10 appearances in the Premier League 2 this season, scoring once.
Smith was a regular for Doncaster during his full-season loan in the 2021-22 season.
He made 49 appearances for the club with 41 of those coming as starts as Rovers were relegated from League One.
An Arsenal player from the age of eight, Smith captained his Under-18s to the Premier League South title in 2019.
He has made 83 appearances for the Gunners’ various youth sides from ages 18 and above.
In other news, Football Insider updates on Arsenal and Chelsea’s race to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk after “huge” new offer.