Arsenal: If Ryan Fraser is saying it…

Ryan Fraser stated this week that no one will pay £30 million for him this summer. If even he is saying it, Arsenal might just be wise to listen to him.

You would think that a player knows how much he is worth, right? If anyone is to really understand just how valuable — or not, as the case may be — they are, it would be that very person. Well, if that is the case, maybe Arsenal should listen to their reported primary summer target.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — The Big Season Review

Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser surfaced as a potential Gunners signing towards the end of last season. After a productive year for the Cherries, in which he created 10 more big chances than any other player in the Premier League and was bettered by only Eden Hazard in assists, the Scottish international emerged as a frontrunner to solve Arsenal’s wide issues.

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While any significant movement on this front has yet to materialise, it seems as though Unai Emery and his management team are keen on Fraser. Fraser, however, is in the dark on his future, speaking this week with the Scotsman:

"“I honestly don’t think anyone will be paying that [£30m]. It was six or seven months ago that we last spoke about my future, but nothing since. Even in the end of season meeting I had with the manager [Eddie Howe], we didn’t speak about my future <…> I keep getting things tagged on Instagram that I’m going places and I think ‘Am I?’ I’ve got a year left with Bournemouth. If I’m there, I’ll give my all. If I’m somewhere else, I’ll give my all. I just want to play well, do my best and work hard for my team-mates.”"

The most interesting line in that comment for me, however, is his admission that he does not believe any team will pay the rumoured £30 million price tag. That, for Arsenal, should be listened to.

Signing Fraser is not a bad move, per se, but like with any transfer, the price must be right. And £30 million, by Fraser’s own concession and in the general light, is considered a far too haughty fee for a player of his calibre, especially considering that he has only one year remaining on his contract and can be signed for nothing next summer.

Should Fraser cost closer to £15 or £20 million, there can be very few complaints regarding a potential transfer. Given his production, that price is a bargain. But once you hit the realm of £25-plus million, expectations rise. At that price, Fraser must be more than just a productive player. He must be a game-changing star, and there are serious questions as to whether he is capable of that.

For the right price, under the right conditions, Fraser can be a smart signing. But those limitations must be abided by. If Fraser is saying it, it might be time to listen.