Arshavin negotiations will test Gazidis’s mettle
Add comment January 8th, 2009
Arsenal’s transfer activity is notoriously hard to predict, but I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty: we will not be paying £20m for Andrei Arshavin. Newly-appointed CEO Ivan Gazidis will be under strict instruction to negotiate the best price possible, and it’s hard to imagine that being anything over what we paid for Samir Nasri – around £13m. And if the price, against all time-honoured Brucie-based tradition, isn’t right, then we will walk away. Our decision not to pay the extra £2m required to secure Xabi Alonso is evidence of the scale of Arsene’s stubbornness.
As I suggested a few days back, I find it hard to see anyone else coming in without players being sold first. Kolo Toure was alleged to have cleared out his locker earlier this week, but if that’s the case he must be feeling like a right mug now, wondering around London having to carry all his kit without anywhere to go.
His fellow Ivorian Emmanuel Eboue, about whose departure few tears would be shed, claims Inter Milan want to sign him. I can only imagine that Jose Mourinho thinks the presence of a jester would be good for morale.
One player who won’t be going anywhere is Carlos Vela, who has been officially informed that he is not available for loan. It’s nice to see that despite playing not nearly so often as Nicklas Bendtner, Vela hasn’t come out with any “Play me or I’ll leave” ultimatums. He is developing nicely and is obviously going to be a big player in the not-too-distant future.
Arsene’s press conference tomorrow will doubtless include full and frank denials of any story that threatens to be remotely interesting. I can’t wait.
