Arsenal: Is Emi Buendia really worth £40m?

The first rule of business is to stay in business. If you want to continue operating, you do what you need to match that desire. While rule number one can vary depending on the person, in football it’s very much alive. Arsenal will have to abide by Norwich’s rules in their pursuit of Emi Buendia.

The Canaries want £40m if they are to sell the 24-year-old. If, and it appears when, he leaves then the hole left behind will be a catastrophic one for the club. About to embark on another crack at the Premier League whip, their chances of survival without him suffer immeasurably.

Hence why they want £40m. It probably won’t buy them another Buendia, but it will go some way towards plugging the gap, or helping them tend to other areas of the pitch. It’s business they see fit to keep them in business, figuratively speaking.

Which brings us on to Arsenal, who are pushing hard along with Aston Villa to sign the Argentine ace this summer. Both clubs have already has £30m bids turned down, and Sky Sports even claim the Gunners have entered with a second offer of £35m.

Is Emi Buendia really worth Arsenal paying £40m to Norwich for in this summer transfer window?

Given the limited finances at Mikel Arteta’s disposal, is Buendia, with 36 Premier League outings to his name, worth the eventual outlay?

If the figure stood at what Arsenal originally offered, then it’s a good deal. £30m for a player with outstanding statistical backing who has proven he can cut the mustard in the top-flight in an otherwise woeful side would constitute solid business.

Shifting the needle £10m to the right opens up another debate, as across Europe there are options available who could be signed that have been operating at the top level for longer. When it comes down to money, the easiest route to take is to look at who else can be acquired for that fee. Throw in a depressed market and shattered club finances across the board, as is so prevalent at Arsenal, and there is less clarity.

What it essentially boils down to is what Arsenal need. They need goals across the pitch; they need someone who can raise the tempo; they need someone with tactical flexibility; they need someone at the right age.

Do they need Buendia? Yes. Do they need Buendia at £40m? Tough luck, that’s what they’ll have to cough up.

Continued…