There is a pecking order in the Premier League transfer market, and Arsenal are learning the hard way that the top shelf comes with an exorbitant pric...
There is a pecking order in the Premier League transfer market, and Arsenal are learning the hard way that the top shelf comes with an exorbitant price tag. GoalZaza understands that Mikel Arteta's pursuit of Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi has run into a financial brick wall, one built not just by the Cherries' stubbornness but by two of Europe's biggest spenders.Bournemouth have slapped a frankly ridiculous valuation on the teenager's head, making it abundantly clear that they will not entertain any offer unless it borders on the obscene. The south coast club know they hold a prized asset, and with Chelsea and Paris Saint. Germain now sniffing around the prodigy, they feel emboldened to play hardball. Arsenal's hopes of adding some clinical finishing and tactical flexibility to their frontline have suddenly become a lot more complicated.Let's be honest, the Emirates hierarchy must be feeling a familiar sense of frustration. They have done the groundwork, identified a player whose movement and composure in the final third could add a different dimension to their transitional play, but now they must decide whether to match the lunacy of the market. The problem is that Kroupi's camp are now fielding calls from Stamford Bridge and the Parc des Princes. When that happens, a player's head turns faster than a low block under sustained pressure.Can Arsenal really compete in a bidding war that involves a PSG side willing to throw cash around like confetti and a Chelsea recruitment machine that never sleeps It feels like a long shot. Arteta needs a forward who can operate in the tight spaces of a packed penalty area, but Kroupi may now be priced beyond even the most optimistic of budgets. Bournemouth, for their part, are perfectly happy to watch the auction unfold, knowing that the longer they wait, the more the price inflates.The Gunners will need to show real nerve in this window. Either they get out the cheque book and pay the premium, or they walk away and look for value elsewhere. One thing is certain: the days of bargain hunting at the Vitality Stadium are over.
