Thursday 4 July 2019 08:33, UK
Arsenal have up to £70m available to make an improved bid for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, Kaveh Solhekol told The Transfer Show.
Sky Sports News understands Arsenal have already launched a £40m bid for Zaha, which was rejected by Palace, who value him at £80m and do not want to sell having already lost Aaron Wan-Bissaka this summer.
Arsenal are expected to come back in for the 26-year-old, but it is thought they do not have much more cash in reserve - something Sky Sports News reporter Solhekol believes, speaking on The Transfer Show, not to be the case.
"We know that Arsenal have made a bid of £40m and we know that Crystal Palace are not going to sell him for that kind of money," he said. "They are looking for at least double that if they decide to let him go."
"People are expecting Arsenal to come in with another bid, and we have spoken to people involved in the negotiations and an improved bid has not been made yet. There is every expectation that Arsenal will make that improved bid.
"Interestingly, we have read that Arsenal's transfer budget this summer, because they have missed out on the Champions League, is just £45m, plus what they can raise from selling players.
"We have kept reading that, £45m. People are thinking 'why are Arsenal trying to sign a player who Crystal Palace are saying is worth £80m, when they only have £45m?'
"What I have been told is that it suits Arsenal that people think they only have £45m, because when they get into negotiations over a player, the selling club is going to think Arsenal don't have much money.
"What I have been told is that this is a bit of a smokescreen and Arsenal can go up to £70m to buy Wilfried Zaha. £70m is the point at which they would walk away. A deal that would be worth £70m in total.
"We just have to take it with a pinch of salt that Arsenal only have £45m. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world. We are not talking about £300m for Neymar, this is £70m in total. I think Arsenal can do that."
As a boyhood Arsenal fan, signing for the club would be seen as a dream move with Zaha's brother Judicael telling Sky Sports News: "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."
From July 1, Sky Sports News will be the home to three new shows dedicated to bringing you the very latest news from this summer's transfer market.
Start your day with Good Morning Transfers at 9am as our team of reporters and pundits bring you the latest news and insight. Transfer Talk then follows at midday delivering the biggest stories that matter to you. And join us at 7pm for the definitive round up of the day's news with The Transfer Show.
And as well as tuning into Sky Sports News, don't miss a thing with our dedicated Transfer Centre blog.
There's also the Transfer Talk Podcast, the daily UK, Regional and European Paper Talk, plus features across skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.
