Konate was an absolute BARGAIN and Arsenal's next transfer proves it 😮
Liverpool secured the extremely highly-rated defender for £36m
According to The Athletic, Arsenal are closing in on fellow rumoured Liverpool target Ben White, with the publication speculating that the Gunners will be charged roughly £50m for the Brighton & Hove Albion star’s services.
£50m!
That’s not to dismiss the talent on offer from the Englishman, but we’re talking about a fee that’s only £25m short of that which we handed Southampton for the world’s leading centre-half, Virgil van Dijk.
Admittedly, there is the English premium to consider; had the centre-half been plying his trade in one of the other top five European top-flights, there’s a good chance his value would be closer to the region of £30-40m.
Regardless, it does highlight just how remarkable Liverpool’s business has been so far, limited as it is, in securing the signature of highly-rated centre-back Ibrahima Konate for potentially £14m less than the amount White will set back the London outfit.
Having enjoyed an impressive maiden season in the English top-flight, however, Arsenal fans will no doubt be quick to argue that they will be getting hold of a more Premier League-proven talent.
When you’re coming up against a slightly younger defender who has already earned comparisons to Bayern Munich-bound Dayot Upamecano - not to mention with it being claimed that the Frenchman could have a higher talent ceiling than his former Red Bull Leipzig partner - however, it becomes difficult to compare the two.
The 22-year-old remains a relatively unknown quantity, and judging by past business with Red Bull clubs, we’ll certainly be hoping that Konate turns out better than the likes of Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino.
A great deal of the signs out there appear to suggest we will, but for now, we can revel in Michael Edwards’ and our recruitment team’s continuing brilliance when it comes to negotiating more than reasonable fees for top talent.
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