Ornstein offers big update on Arsenal’s £65m bid to sign exciting duo

Managers are working hard trying to strengthen their squads during the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Here, we have the latest on Arsenal’s bid to sign Wilfried Zaha and Kieran Tierney…

Crystal Palace have been left ‘incensed’ by Arsenal’s £40m offer for Wilfried Zaha and we’re also in danger of missing out on Kieran Tierney to Napoli, according to BBC journalist David Ornstein.

Unai Emery is looking to add some width to his squad this summer and Sky Sports claimed last night that Arsenal have formalised their interest in Zaha by submitting an opening £40m offer.

The 26-year-old is desperate to leave Selhurst Park to join the Gunners – who he supported growing up – and Zaha’s brother, Judicael, told Sky Sports they hope Palace will repay him for his service to the club by agreeing a deal with Arsenal.

“Wilfried will always hold Crystal Palace and their fans in the highest regard and all the support they have given means the world to him. It’s my brother’s dream though, to play for Arsenal.

“Given all that Wilfried has given to Crystal Palace to help them remain a Premier League club, I hope Palace will be able to see their way to agreeing a deal with Arsenal that allows Wilfried to realise his dream of playing European Football for the club he’s supported since childhood.”

However, Palace are reluctant to lose another key player after selling Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United and Sky Sports says they’ve slapped an £80m price-tag on Zaha’s head – which is double what Arsenal have put on the table.

The attacker still has three years left on his contract but the Zaha camp claim he only signed the deal on the understanding Palace wouldn’t stand in his way if a club like Arsenal came calling with a formal approach.

However, BBC journalist David Ornstein says Palace have been left incensed by Arsenal’s offer as they feel it’s a blatant attempt to unsettle Zaha to try and secure a cut-price deal and they don’t feel it even warrants a response.

Ornstein says Palace will reluctantly sell the attacker if a suitable offer arrives but they don’t see Arsenal’s £40m bid as credible and they’re determined to get closer to £80m due to Man Utd being owed 25% of any profit above £6m.

Worryingly, the BBC journalist says Palace will refuse to lower their valuation – despite Zaha’s brothers public statements – as they feel their close relationship with the player means he won’t cause any problems if a move to Arsenal doesn’t materialise.

So it looks like we’re miles away from getting a deal agreed for Zaha and I don’t see how Arsenal can afford to get even close to Palace’s £80m valuation without having to sell either Alexandre Lacazette or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

If that’s not bad enough, Ornstein has also offered a worrying update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Kieran Tierney as he says Napoli are now in pole position to sign the talented Celtic left-back this summer.

Arsenal have been trying to get a deal agreed for Tierney in recent weeks and the Sunday Post, via The Sun, suggested on the weekend we were close to reaching an agreement after submitting a third offer worth £20m up front plus £5m in add ons.

However, Ornstein claims it’s Napoli who are now winning the race to sign the 22-year-old full back:

As things stand Wilfried Zaha from Crystal Palace to Arsenal not happening, will take major change(s) to materialise. Also hearing Napoli edging ahead in Kieran Tierney race but deal still there to be done. As we know cash the issue for #AFC this summer #CPFC #CelticFC #SSCNapoli https://t.co/CoNLGmdS7F

— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) July 2, 2019

If Arsenal could have snapped-up Zaha and Tierney for a combined £65m then it would have been excellent business and with offers reportedly on the table, it looks like Emery is seriously trying to land the duo.

However, if Ornstein’s update is accurate, it seems we’re a long way from completing either deal and we’ll struggle to increase the offers unless we can raise extra funds by selling off existing players.

No doubt Arsenal would be willing to sell the likes of Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Shkodran Mustafi but there seems to be very little interest in the trio so it’s going to be interesting to see how things play out from here.

READ –> Arsenal transfer news

I think a deal can be done for Tierney within our budget as long as we can persuade him to snub Napoli for London but Palace are unlikely to lower their valuation too much for Zaha, so I fear we’ll have to sacrifice a key player in order to afford him.