Despite Agreeing Personal Terms With Arsenal, Player Could Go To Germany

Arsenal are about to miss out on the signing of Legia Warsaw’s 17 year old defensive midfielder, Krystian Bielik. After weeks of media reports about Arsenal’s interest in the starlet, which started after the club brought the youngster and his parents over to London for a tour of the club’s training facilities. The player later confirmed to the Polish press that he was only keen on a move to Arsenal after that trip to London. Some reports even claim personal terms have been agreed with the player himself.

His comments follow reports that two bids have been rejected by the Polish club from Arsenal. The FA Cup holders had a bid of £1.6 million rejected by Legia Warsaw. Both clubs are still about £700,000 apart in their valuation. Arsene Wenger confirmed the club’s interest in the player in his press conference on Friday.

“He is a young boy that we follow, yes. You see I gave you some information! We are not very close at the moment [to an agreement].” He said.

However, with no agreement yet between Arsenal and the Polish club after the haggling over the transfer fee. The situation has made the club to look elsewhere to force Arsenal’s hand to reach an agreement.

Reports from Poland on Saturday is that 17 year old Bielik flew to Hamburg, Germany to see their facilities before reaching a deal with the club, just as Arsenal did during the festive period.

The President of Legia Warsaw, Boguslaw Lesnodorski later confirmed that the player was indeed in Germany.

“Krystian is in Hamburg, the Germans are very determined. For them the money doesn’t matter, but let’s see what happens in the final talks with Arsenal.”

It seems the move by the club is a ploy to force Arsenal’s hands to come to a quick agreement as the president specifically mentioned the next round of discussion Arsenal would hold with the club.

What this entire episode means is that Arsenal could well miss out on Bielik not because the club is not interested, that has been confirmed by no less a person as Arsene Wenger, but because of the usual penny pinching of the club, where they drag out a transfer over a long period of time just so that they can get a signing by spending less.

Although, many Arsenal faithful would not take this transfer has anything special because he is just another young player that would not immediately add anything to the club’s season, what it portends in the short and long term is that the club’s manner of conducting transfers has still not change. A club that identifies a player they want should go for that player when the funds to get the player is available. Yet that is not always Arsenal’s way. They always have to haggle over a transfer fee. With Hamburg now in the picture for Bielik, it means the club could miss out on him if no agreement is found over a fee. And it would not. be the first time that Arsenal have missed out on a transfer over a failure to meet the asking price of the the selling club.