Barcelona director uses Arsenal signing as example of overpriced transfer fees

This is ironic.

Arsene Wenger, the Premier League manager most reluctant to spend over the odds for a player, has been accused of spending over the odds on a player, and cited as an example of how the English top flight clubs spend inflated fees on lesser players. Arsenal signed Shkodran Mustafi from Valencia on deadline day for €40m, and Barcelona director Robert Fernandez has suggested that the Gunners have paid over the odds for the German defender. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/770921070677417984 Fernandez told Spanish newspaper Sport that their €25 signing Samuel Umtiti would have been worth a lot more, had they not wrapped a deal up for the player in June. "I think we've done good deals," Fernandez said.

"Umtiti in the current market would be worth a lot more. "The Premier League [Arsenal] ended up paying €40m (£35m) for Mustafi, for example."

Mustafi joined Valencia for €8m two years ago, so while Fernandez's view may be somewhat harsh, the 24-year-old's move to Arsenal does convey how transfer prices continue to rise.