From speculation at the end of the season, to a meeting in
Totteridge which led to a statement after the Euro’s to Mr Ferguson moaning
about how Arsenal are dealing with their own player. The saga has dragged on
and on.
Where will Robin Van Persie end up? No sod knows in reality.
Juventus have a few issues with their manager being banned
for some sort of corruption; Man City has never been high up in preferences for
Robin according to most and notably his own father and Arsenal do not seem to
keen to sell to Manchester United.
Arsene Wenger has NEVER
sold a player to Manchester United and you get the feeling he wants to keep
it that way.
I wrote earlier in the summer (shortly after the statement
was public) that I would want Robin Van Persie sold sooner rather then later
and I still feel that way BUT selling to Manchester United, a team that we have
been in such rivalry with would hurt the supporters. We all remember the battle
of Old Trafford, Pizza gate and the infamous tunnel incident when Roy Keane and
Patrick Vieira had a ‘heated’ debate regarding Gary Neville and Jose Antonio
Reyes.
I wrote this summer but how keeping Robin after the
statement has the potential to damage the morale that Arsene Wenger has worked
so hard to maintain. I was concerned that Robin may start talking to others and
just sulk his way to a move like others have done. But hearing bits
and bobs from journalists and the media men internally at the club along with a
few others, everyone is in agreement that Robin has been focused, has trained
hard and has even been enjoying himself since he has returned to training and
has been impressed with the new players that have come in.
Putting my bitter feelings aside (I just do not like people
that disrespect the club I love) and thinking about what is best for Arsenal
football club may mean keeping Robin. Apart from going to Juventus, there is no
real benefit of selling on the cheap to the Manchester clubs. Off course, he could go to
Utd and break down and be out for seven months but if we are counting on that,
we really do need to get out more! Selling him to Manchester United can only
have a negative impact on Arsenal you would think; you just do NOT want to strengthen a rival, especially
a rival that you could compete with if results go your way.
If Robin is committed (even for a year) and is focused and
plays well then keeping him can only be good for Arsenal football club. He may
have to go through a phrase of ‘winning the supporters back’ but it was him who
put out a statement, badly advised or not, that criticised the club, the
manager and the new signings. If Robin’s statement was true and he is worried about
the lack of direction then come December or January, if the new signings have
settled down and Carzorla in particular has started well and Arsenal are in the
hunt for top honours, then surely Arsenal have a chance of re-negotiating with
Robin Van Persie and the chances of him signing a deal ‘should’ increase.
It’s certainly a tough call for Arsenal and having another
manager moan about the way Arsenal are handling the transfer for their best
player and captain who IS under
contract does not help the cause but Arsenal seem different this summer, they
seem like they are not going to let others dictate or bully them into selling
someone at a lower price then what they have set and may just take the chance
by keeping Robin, unless a bid they cannot refuse comes in, i.e 20m plus.
Whatever happens, the summer has been a positive one with
Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla coming in and perhaps one or two more still to
come in, so regardless of what happens with Robin Van Persie, I am quietly
confident that this could be a season to remember for Arsenal football club.
