Arsenal aren’t best known for their prowess in the transfer market.

The Gunners have been widely criticised for prioritising the monetary value of a transfer over the potential impact of the player in question.

Arsene Wenger was lauded for this frugal outlook during the first decade of his 22-year reign - but in sticking to it amid the proliferation of wealth in football, the Londoners were left behind in many respects.

After signing Jose Antonio Reyes for a then club-record £18 million in 2003, Arsenal didn’t purchase a more expensive player until ten years later.

That came when they paid £42.3 million to land Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid, which is now third on the list of their most financially significant acquisitions.

Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have since leapfrogged the German playmaker to the tune of £47 million and £57 million respectively.

Without discounting these examples of Arsenal being more willing to spend big on the right player, it seems the ‘economical’ tendencies of the Wenger era are ingrained in the club.

The Gunners are understood to be interested in bringing Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha to the Emirates this summer, - and their initial bid is one that would make their former boss proud.

The Sun claim Arsenal proposed paying £40 million over the course of five years - no less than half of the amount the England winger’s employers want upfront.

Given Palace themselves described the approach as ‘embarrassing’, it’s not difficult to imagine how the news was met by fans on social media.

Standing among the onslaught of jokes made at Arsenal’s expense, Klarna - a Swedish bank that specialises in ‘buy now, pay later’ services - has produced one of the best.

In response to a Twitter user claiming Arsenal are ‘doing a Klarna’, the company replied:

“Sorry @arsenal we don’t do Pay in 5 years, we do Pay in 3 instalments in the UK.

“Or you could always use our Pay later in 30 days.

“Then if @wilfriedzaha doesn’t work out you can send him back before the window closes.”

Well played, Klarna - even if it is just a clever bit of PR.

Arsenal probably won’t take up the offer to aid their pursuit of Zaha given Palace’s reaction to an instalment-based proposal.

That said, the Gunners interest in the 26-year-old is thought to be mutual - so it would be somewhat of a shock if they chose to back off now.