NO, CELTIC DIDN’T MAKE A “LOWBALL OFFER” FOR ISAK JANSSON, NO MATTER WHAT THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA SAYS
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 13 minutes ago
- 2 min read
We often talk here on the ACSOM Blog about the power of media spin.
In particular, we often find ourselves discussing the almost superhuman talent the Scottish tabloid press have for sniffing out the most negative angle possible on any story concerning Celtic.
Such is the case again this morning.
Isak Jansson was a £3 Million Player, Until His Club Decided he Wasn’t
What we have here folks, is a good old case of “shifting the goalposts” to use an old colloquialism.
Rapid Vienna were looking for 3 to £3.5 million for Isak Jansson as recently as last weekend, according to numerous sources both in Austria and in Scotland.
Then, a mysterious French club (most likely Paris FC) came in and offered significantly more. The exact figure is unknown but it’s rumored to be around £7.5 million.
Like a cartoon character whose irises suddenly morph into dollar signs, Rapid Vienna now see a chance to do a bit of price-gouging.
Celtic’s bid of £3.5 million was a fair bid, based on the player’s market value as recently as a couple of days ago.
Now, I’m no fan of the Celtic Board and their extremely risk-averse approach to transfers. However, I’m even less of a fan of other clubs getting greedy and trying to take the p*ss.
Celtic’s only mistake here was to be naive enough to make a formal bid after Brendan Rodgers confirmed that Nicholas Kuhn is in the process of leaving the club. His move to Como may well be finalized by the time you read this.
Knowing that Celtic will soon have around £17 million more to spend than they did last week has probably only heightened Rapid Vienna’s greed.
Jansson is a good player and I believe he would enhance Celtic’s squad and, unlike Hayato Inamura, move directly into contention for a starting berth.
However, he isn't worth £7.5 million. Not yet, anyway. For once, I’m with the Celtic Board on this. If Rapid Vienna want to haggle a little on the price, then fine, we can negotiate.
But Celtic should not, and I believe will not, be held to ransom for a player still unproven at European level, and who only cost Rapid £200,000 a little over a year ago.
As I said yesterday, I like the look of the player, and I think he’d be a good fit for Celtic.
However, if Rapid Vienna want to, to use one of my dad’s favorite phrases, “start playing silly b*ggers” over the fee, then we should walk away.