Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor insists Chelsea has financially bullied Arsenal as the Blues close in on completing the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk.
The Ukrainian was on the radar of the Gunners for a long time and Arsenal tabled three bids for his signature, but they were not enough.
Chelsea made a very late entry into the race and made the best offer which his employers immediately accepted and now Mudryk will play in West London.
It is a shocking turn of events no one saw coming, considering the attacker has been flirting with a move to Arsenal and the Gunners also made three approaches, but Agbonlahor insists Mikel Arteta’s side has been bullied.
He said on Talk Sport:
“With this transfer, Chelsea have bullied Arsenal, they have financially bullied them.
“They went over and spoke to his agent and probably told him, ‘We’ll give you [the agent] more, we’ll give the player more in wages and we’ll give the club more money up front’.
“Arsenal were maybe going to give him £100,000 or £150,000-a-week, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Chelsea offered him £250,000 or £300,000-a-week!
“Chelsea can just turn up with an open wallet and say, ‘What do you want?’
“I think it’s a good signing, but it’s going to hurt Arsenal and it’s going to hurt Arsenal fans.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Mudryk wanted to come to Arsenal and it was not a secret, but footballers aren’t exactly loyal to clubs. Instead, they are loyal to their pockets.
We cannot blame him for agreeing to the move if the Blues have promised him a bigger salary as they have offered his club a more significant fee.
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And I think the correct response to Agbo is Shaktar Donetsk have financial bullied Chelsea because of their desperation to buy their way up the table.Arsenal were wise to walk away from that.
Haha.. So true. If Arsenal offered more than Chelsea he they would go for more. That is why Chelsea and Mudryk have proven exactly what we all niw know. It’s not about football. It’s about personal gains. For all the talk and social media posting by Mudryk about his love for Atsenal, he’s shown his true colours. And, they’re not red and white!
Come on Arsenal did not walk away they were outbid by Chelsea. If Arsenal went back in with more then Chelsea would have come back with a bigger bid.
Agbonlahor is widely recognised to speak tosh, almost always.
He stupidly ignores the fact that Chelsea are no longer owned by Abramovitch but by financial speculators who will want more money back when they sell, than they paid out.
No financial investor buys a top Prem club for love- and that includes KSE- but to make a profit when they eventually sell up, as they can all see how quickly future values of Prem clubs are growing.
That is precisely why KSE are investing just enough but not more, to maintain and increase Arsenals sale value when they eventally sell up. Which they will, though only when it suits their pockets.
I have never been fooled, like some are, by Kroenkes, nor by any other financial speculators. The facts are that virtually NO multi billionaire EVER buys a Prem club for love .
If not for personal profit, then it is for sports washing or to try to whitewash their own past and charcter(or lack of character!!)
Abramovitch was the perfect example of a rascal owner who threw endless money at his toy to try whitewashing his past.
But like most rogues, his past eventually overtook him and brought him down.
I do not put either KSEor Todd Boehly in Abramovitchs scumbag leagueas a person. Though I DO HAVE A STRONG DISTASTE FOR THEM BOTH, as people.
Well he would not be lying would he!
Financially they bullied us but acquiring two signings many on here wanted at Arsenal and we were either not able to or wisely refused to not compete.
Getting both those players is a lottery imo and there is no guarantee they will push on. Personally, I have my doubts about about either being successful this season.
Let’s move on to other targets but let’s not panic buy. We need they right player and in the mold of the right person.
Between us and the two Manchester clubs we need strengthening the most as I believe we have the least depth for a title push.
Let’s see how we go the next three weeks ito our games and what happens in the remaining window before panic kicks in.
Not lying but simply misunderstnding- due to his poor intellect- where the truth lies in that situation . The truth is that Atletico tried to bully us but we would not meet their distorted valuation, though Chelsea did.
So that means , PLAINLY, that Athletco bullied Chelsea!
Something very different from the tosh spoken by Agbonlahor!
Why have they BULLIED us?
The Arsenal had a ceiling on what they thought the player was worth, both in salary and transfer fee.
The bidding went higher on both counts and I would ask everyone to think what would have happened if we hadn’t declined.
Saka and Saliba would have been watching the outcome in relation to their own contracts.
Every other club, whose players we showed an interest in, would also have been watching.
We are top of the PL without Mudryk and will be playing CL football next season – chelsea won’t!!
Just imagine if Mudryk flops and chelsea have to honour his reported five and a half year contract!!!
With his salary being reported as anything from £100,000 to £250,000 a week, I firmly believe we have done the right thing.
Let’s accept what has happened before and keep backing our club.
As a follow on, Gabriel Jesus’s agent is reporting that chelsea tried to do exactly the same thing regarding his client’s transfer to The Arsenal.
Unlike Mudryk, Jesus had already made his mind up and they missed out… leaving them to pay out over a reported £9,000,000 for a six month loan… and then seeing sent off!!!!
Couldn’t happen to a nicer club – “we know who you are”!!!
IMHO I much prefer players who want to come to Arsenal, recruiting mercenaries doesn’t serve the club long term.
I thought Mudryk was that type player, but best to know the truth and will be known in the coming days.
We clearly need more quality in depth to foster competition, but we can’t succumb to the money pit like Utd, City, Chelsea, and now Newcastle.
Arsenal’s scouts and evaluators HAVE to step up and help us improve through their knowledge and cunning, not to checkbook of Kroenke.
I think Musah in midfield can improve us, sell Lokogna and upgrade. Raphinha wasn’t interested in Arsenal before, we should pass and go after players who want to play at Arsenal.
Jesus is a great example, I think Martinelli and Odegaard both fall into this category. I also think Saka is the same, but who knows what the negotiations entail.
There is a long term plan at Arsenal, and it’s bearing fruit in the short term as we see. I say stick to the plan, and avoid Shiney distractions and overspending and the temptation of the outside trends.
DISHONESTY. That may be the reason putin is punishing them.
Mudryk has clearly shown he was just about the premier league and was only playing to the gallery for Arsenal and her fans. He really had no special interest or love for Arsenal or Arteta. He wanted so badly to leave Shaktar and was willing to do anything for that, and as Arsenal was the only club showing real interest, he played along by teasing us.
I am glad he didn’t come. Seem like a player that can pull an Aubameyang if his personal desires are not satisfied.