Arsenal: You cannot blame Celtic for Kieran Tierney failure

Celtic rejected Arsenal’s improved £25 million bid based on the structure of the instalments of the deal. While frustrating, they are well within their rights to do so.

And so the transfer purgartory continues. On Friday last week, Arsenal made their most eager and realistic move for a genuine first-team player of the summer, submitting a £25 million offer for Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney.

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Previous bids for Tierney and other players have been made, but none were ever seriously threatening the valuation and likely to be accepted. This, on the other hand, was a very real offer. Celtic value Tierney at £25 million and the Gunners were confident that a deal could be completed.

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On Monday morning, however, it was confirmed that Celtic had rejected the bid, concerned with the structure of the instalments in which the £25 million would be paid. With the modern explosion of transfer fees making it difficult for clubs to afford the best players, transfers are increasingly paid over the course of the player’s contract, with the initial fee not actually paid until sometimes three or four years later. Arsenal, predictably, are infamous for being cheap with how they structure their instalments. That is ostensibly what has happened here.

It is frustrating to see that a ‘fair’ offer has been submitted only for it to be rejected, but Celtic are quite within their rights to do so. Tierney is their asset and they can sell him for whatever they deem fit, and this present offer is obviously not up to standard.

In the case of Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace, who are demanding £80 million, are much more difficult to defend. Zaha is not independently worth that price and there is no way that they will ever receive an offer even close. The Gunners’ £40 million was embarassing and insulting, but they are quite right to try to negotiate Palace down from £80 million.

But Tierney is different. Firstly, he is worth more than £25 million. Many experts value him above £30 million in the current market. Secondly, even with a measly £40-45 million transfer budget, Arsenal can afford him. If they really want him, they do have the financial ability to agree a £25 million deal with more upfront instalments.

The blame for failing to sign Tierney lies squarely at the feet of Raul Sanllehi, Huss Fahmy and those in charge at the Emirates. This is not a case where the club has tried everything they can to get a deal over the line but ultimately fallen short. They have the ability and the power to secure Tierney, and yet they have not.

Celtic are well within their rights to reject this deal — and future deals should they see it benefit them. It is up to Arsenal to make this transfer happen. This is in their hands, and that is what worries me more than anything else.