Gunnerblog

Ourshavin

244 guns February 3rd, 2009

Finally.

Many fans said they wouldn’t believe it until they saw him pictured in the kit.  Well folks, it’s done.  Andrei Arshavin has signed for Arsenal on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee.

Throughout yesterday’s nightmarish negotiations, I was in contact with the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, who were always confident that a deal would be completed.  AST Board member Tim Payton tonight told me:

“Arsenal deserve credit for keeping their nerve and not having paid over the odds for Arshavin. We must remember that Zenit wanted £30m last summer and £20m at Christmas. They have ended up with less than £15m. It amazes me that some supporters have suggested that we should have given up another £5million just to get it over with.

Arsenal’s money is actually the supporter’s money. Pay over the odds now and there is less for the new contract for Robin Van Persie or a need to raise ticket prices. At the AST we believe the Board have to look after the finances as custodians. That means carefully spending only what we can afford.

Arsenal’s approach is very consistent. They never comment on transfer specualtion. It might be frustrating for some but it is right. If the dignify the made up stories by commenting it only inflates them, if they comment on genuine targets it makes the chances of landing the transfer harder to achieve.

Part of the problem is that the on-line media and blog sites give agents the platform to try and manipulate transfers. And the media have a herd like mentality. So when Sky Sports News got it wrong yesterday, they all followed. Except for the AST who stuck by our understanding that the transfer was in its final stages,
and would be completed.

It is an encouraging start for Ivan Gazidis. One target from Arsene, one player secured. Let us hope it is the first of a successful track record.”

What they say about driving the price down is absolutely right - I’m hearing from some channels that, in spite of what Zenit claim, the “undisclosed” fee is no more £10m plus £2m in add-ons.  If that is indeed all that we paid, it has to be looked upon as a very good price indeed.

More on this tomorrow, including quotes from his first interview as an Arsenal player.  For now, I think we all need a break from this.

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