Everyone with an interest in Arsenal is fully aware that they have a restricted transfer budget and that low transfer kitty means that the club has to basically penny pinch.
That has never been more evident than in Arsenal’s pursuit of Celtic defender Kieran Tierney.
Arsenal went in with a low ball figure of £15 Million for a player that is valued at £25 Million by his club which was quickly rejected.
A second bid is expected but Celtic have put Arsenal on notice that any future bids had better be for a lot more money.
It is not as if the Arsenal negotiators do not know what Celtic want, they do, because the Hoops have told them what the value of the player as their manager Neil Lennon confirmed.
“Arsenal are aware of what we value the player at. He’s on a long-term contract, he’s an asset and we don’t want to sell him”, Lennon said
“It’s going to have to take a lot more than what they’ve offered the first time around to give us a decision to make.
“I’ve had a chat with him as it can be a difficult decision and bit unsettling. I’ve been there myself so it’s important that we support him regardless of the outcome.”
Not sure Lennon could have made it any clearer. If we want to sign Tierney we are going to have to cough up £25 Million and the club knows it and a decision will have to be made. Either we splash out a huge slice of our budget or we look elsewhere for an alternative option.
Imagine that though, £25 Million and half the budget is gone. That is not a good look for a top-six club.