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- Written by Tom DiMaio
Robin Van Persie’s summer battle with Arsenal over whether he stays or goes can’t have come as a surprise for many Arsenal fans after witnessing the same thing happen with Cesc and Nasri. What is more interesting is the growing likelihood of Theo Walcott entering a similar situation.
There are obvious similarities between the circumstances of Robin and Theo, yet despite this, Arsenal fans haven’t reacted in the same way. However, after reviewing the facts, I can’t help but think to myself ‘why not?’
Frustrating Theo
It is certainly true that Theo has been nowhere near the player Robin has for the club. It is also true that Theo is not treated with the same unanimous adoration as the Dutch maestro. In fact when I heard about the proposed £15 million move to Liverpool my initial thoughts were that we should cash in on a player that has been a long-term frustration of mine.
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- Written by Barnaby Merrill
So Robin Van Persie revealed his true colours as a money-grabbing scallywag with the integrity of a 15th century mercenary. He turned down the chance to become an Arsenal legend (and get a decent pay rise) to go and sit on the bench at either Manchester or Turin and get paid a great deal more (not that it registers when you’re being paid as much as he is).
He cited lack of ambition as a major factor, despite the fact we’d signed two strikers to take the strain off him. There are other signings in the pipeline. There is ambition here. The fact he hasn’t waited to see who we signed shows he made up his mind months ago. When he claimed he was waiting until the end of the season to think about his future we should have realised he was never going to sign, that he was being tapped up by Patrick Viera and the rest to go and play for Manchester City, with all the other mercenary fools.
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- Written by Adonis Pratsides
When the news broke on an uncomfortably humid afternoon in North London, that club captain Robin Van Persie had refused to sign a new contract with Arsenal, fans could be forgiven for getting a little hot under the collar.
It has been described as a major shock, but the more realistic fans among us will tell you that the warning signs were there. They stretch back as far as the great exodus of last summer which saw former captain Cesc Fabregas return to Barcelona and the infamous transfer of Samir Nasri to Manchester City, but the recent acquisitions of two left- footed strikers in Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud should have set the alarm bells ringing.
It undoubtedly used to be the case that those who decided to turn their back on the Gunners would live to regret their decision (just ask Hleb or Flamini), but in recent years the ‘curse’ seems to have been lifted. Fabregas has gone on to experience success with both Barcelona and Spain, while Nasri would be the first to tell us how happy he is with his switch to Manchester, having won the Premier league in his first season at the club.
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- Written by Rob George
Footballers come, footballers go, that is the circle of life and the way of the business, everyone has a price and everyone has a shelf-life. But at Arsenal this is becoming a regular and unfortunate occurrence, to lose one captain is shabby, to lose THREE is downright silly.
Robin Van Persie has seemingly become the club’s most infamous hat-trick today with the news he will not extend his contract and seemingly has his bags already packed. Gooners have seen Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas make similar exits in recent summers but despite being used to it by now, it would be fair to say Robin’s possible exit cuts very deep indeed.
Not only is he the captain (Arsenal’s armband seems to make players want to leave rather than stay and fight) but the Flying Dutchman has just completed a quite sensational season. 2011/12 saw him drag Arsenal back from the 8-2 mauling at Old Trafford into a third place finish which many, myself included, thought completely beyond Arsene Wenger’s men come September.
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- Written by Barnaby Merrill
We’re nearing the time when the transfer window is actually open, and Arsenal have surprised almost everyone by making two fairly major signings already. But what now? Where do Arsenal need to strengthen, and what should their priorities be?
A Brief Reminder
As you’re all aware, Arsenal have signed two strikers, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud. This has unsurprisingly led to endless speculation about the future of Robin Van Persie, and whether he is ‘leaving’ the club and these new strikers are his replacements.
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