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Arsenal scout Steve Rowley ready to quit Gunners after shouldering blame for failed transfers

Arsene Wenger made the talent spotter his main man but the Premier League side has struggled to produce top talents recently

ARSENAL scout Steve Rowley is ready to quit the club after 35 years, according to reports.

The Gunners talent spotter feels he has been made a scapegoat for the club’s recent failure to compete for the Premier League title, according to the Daily Mail.

 Steve Rowley was a pivotal figure in Arsenal's success
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Steve Rowley was a pivotal figure in Arsenal's successCredit: Rex Features

Rowley was made chief scout in 1996 by manager Arsene Wenger, after working for George Graham, but is expected to stand down and follow chief transfer negotiator Dick Law out the door.

Modern Arsenal has been shaped by Rowley, whose first discovery was an 11-year-old centre-back called Tony Adams.

Rowley headed up around 15 scouts based in Britain as well as head hunters in France, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Holland, the Czech Republic and Germany.

In an interview with Arsenal.com in 2015 he explained how he expected to present six or seven prospects to Wenger each season.

 Arsenal are about to lose talent spotter Steve Rowley
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Arsenal are about to lose talent spotter Steve RowleyCredit: Rex Features
 Arsene Wenger promoted Steve Rowley to chief scout
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Arsene Wenger promoted Steve Rowley to chief scoutCredit: Rex Features

Rowley said: “I’ll usually take the boss’s interest about six or seven times during the season and I will say that at the moment there are some really good youngsters about.

“Whether the manger pursues it depends on what he wants.


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 Steve Rowley does not want to be the scapegoat for Arsenal failings
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Steve Rowley does not want to be the scapegoat for Arsenal failingsCredit: Rex Features
 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could be about to lose a key staff member
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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could be about to lose a key staff memberCredit: AP:Associated Press

“He does tell me what positions we need for example, then I will pass that information onto my scouts.

“But if we are talking about youngsters then he’s not too worried.

"Good players are good players, you shouldn’t worry about position.

“Then finally if the boss wants him in then it’s down to the money men to sort out the deal and my involvement is finished as far is the transfer is involved.”

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