Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, has once again turned a promising transfer deal into a full-blown war of words that has one source close to the deal calling the offer “ridiculous.” That’s no way to woo a potential target, Arsene!
“We’re very disappointed. A deal has been worked on for nine months. First it was Tottenham last summer, now Arsenal,” one of the sources said. “What has been the problem with this deal? Money as always. The Russians are [unrealistic] and how can Arsenal offer less than £15m and half of Arshavin’s contract?
“He’s getting €3.875m and the club is offering half. Who would take another job for half the money? Arsenal have been making big waves by saying this would be the big historic transfer in the history of the Gunners. Well, it’s bull.
“They thought they could pull this off by saying we are a big club, this is a nice country, all that stuff. But he’s not a 16-year-old from Africa. The life in England is more expensive – a car, a house, it’s all more expensive in London, and he has to bring his family. He has one kid who is three years old, another who is one year old. It’s ridiculous.” (Guardian)
Whilst the whole deal between Arshavin and Arsenal seemed doomed from the start, there did seem to be a ray of light that appeared momentarily that made many wonder if Zenit would finally agree to let their Andrei Arshavin go. But it appears that was just more paper talk.
For now Arsenal will have to be content with their current striker force for the rest of the season. With Adebayor loafing it on the pitch, Arshavin could have made a decent second option to van Persie going forward. Wenger will have to right the ship out with his current team.
That is unless he has a 16-year-old from Africa up his sleeve…