As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Should be signed in the coming weeks according to the Guardian.
Van Persie injury a cruel blow as new contract deal nears completion
• Dutch striker ruled out for first leg at United
• Forward close to sealing new five-year contract
Arsenal's plans for the Champions League semi-final against Manchester United have been undermined by a groin injury to Robin van Persie that has ruled the forward out of the first leg at Old Trafford next Wednesday and rendered him a doubt for the return six days later. The long-term news is brighter, however, as Van Persie has agreed in principle to a new five-year contract.
Arsène Wenger, the manager, said that the Dutch striker was "definitely out for Sunday [against Middlesbrough in the Premier League] and for Manchester United", while he added that Gaël Clichy, the full-back, who has a back problem, would also miss the trip to Old Trafford. "Clichy could be back for the second Manchester United game," Wenger said. "He has a chance to be back in full training next week."
The losses, however, have been offset slightly by Manuel Almunia's quicker-than-expected recovery from an ankle injury. The goalkeeper is in contention to face Middlesbrough, as is Johan Djourou, who has also returned to full training after a knee complaint. Emmanuel Adebayor, Wenger said, should train tomorrow, after a slight hamstring problem, and he could feature in the squad for Sunday's match at the Emirates.
Van Persie might be missing one of the biggest games of his career but both he and the club expect a new five-year deal to be rubber stamped in the coming weeks. Van Persie, who has scored 18 goals during an encouraging season, has left negotiations in recent weeks to his representatives, respecting Wenger's call to focus on the business end of the campaign.
They have made great progress, though, with the club's new chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, whose meticulous and sure-footed style has impressed and, happily for Wenger and the club's supporters, Van Persie has been satisfied.
He has made no secret of his desire to be challenging for honours and competing with Europe's top teams and, with Arsenal established in the Premier League's Big Four and having reached the last four of the Champions League, Van Persie believes that the future is bright at the Emirates. "It wasn't that I thought Arsenal didn't have this vision," he said last week. "I always believed Arsenal had that."
Gazidis has also been involved in talks with Theo Walcott's representatives about a new deal for the England winger. Progress has been painstaking, with much dialogue back and forth between Gazidis and his own lawyers but, as with Van Persie, there is confidence that Walcott will sign. At the beginning of the month, Gazidis spoke bullishly about the captain Cesc Fábregas being "totally committed" to the club, despite interest in his signature from Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Players of his calibre earn good money, that's the way it is. He'd probably be able to get 20 or 30 grand more elsewhere.
I find it really curious that people one hand are complaining that we're "unambitious" because we're not paying 20 or 30 million quid for players on the transfer market, but when our players reach that price-bracket they complain that we're paying them competitive wages.
It's the way football works, the players earn ridiculous amounts of money. Unless and until UEFA do something about debt in football and ban clubs with operating losses from European competitions that won't change. In the meantime we either pay what they are worth (in the current market, compared to other clubs) or we lose the players.
Let's not forget that he's only missed two league games this season through injury so far (3 on Sunday). Admittedly he was rested 2 or 3 times on the bench to prevent injuries from happening in addition to that.
That's hardly horrible though. If he can get between 25 and 30 starts a season in the league as he will this year I'm very happy. Having to rotate players anyway few attackers would start more than that.
hadareud wrote:who cares if he's on 70k or 80k a week.
Players of his calibre earn good money, that's the way it is. He'd probably be able to get 20 or 30 grand more elsewhere.
Really ! And who else would pay him even what we are alledged to be offering.
He's currently injured and he was injured for half of the last two seasons. He's overrated not least by himself.
Is he as good as Tevez ? Rooney ? Drogba ? Villa at Valencia ... Is he ? And if you say "yes" - compare his contribution to theirs.
Either him or Adeybayour shouold be flogged on this summer. In fact there's a case for moving both on IF the money earned is reinvested in the squad.
Thing is though Rob, of those 4 players what chance would there be of us getting any of them ourselves? I’d say zero on the first 3, & most likely the same for Villa. Valencia aren’t gonna sell him on the cheap (& never were) & I cant see any way City wouldn’t offer £10m on top of whatever we could muster up. And that’s before the Chavs, Liverpool, Madrid, Barca etc & his £100k+ wages are taken into consideration.
I know you weren’t actually saying we could or should get any of those players you mentioned but it’s still a relevant point in my opinion, as Van Persie’s value to us is surely relative to the quality of player we could realistically afford to replace him with.
I’m not saying RVP is irreplaceable by any means. But it’s not quite as simple as a lot of people seem to be saying. If we sold him for £15m how many vastly superior strikers are there out there that we could go & get for that amount?
And if we are gonna maximise how much we could get for him why wouldn’t we tie him to a new deal? Surely that makes more sense than letting another player’s contract run down & risk losing him on the cheap - something which a lot of us have lambasted Wenger & the club for doing in the past!
Van Persie is a better player than both Rooney and Tevez. His contribution? He's leading the league in assists and he's scored more goals than either one of them (even though his goalscoring record has been comparatively poor this season).
No need to compare him to Dogba or Villa, because they aren't second strikers. But you may be surprised to hear that he scored just as many goals as Dogba this season in the league (who also hasn't a single assist to his name).
If you think that he wouldn't be earning more money in Italy or at another Premiership club you are kidding yourself.
Unfortunately his scoring record dropped in the second half of the season, I believe he is a player that will score a goal in every two games (as he has in the past) . If he can score 13-15 goals a season and have 10 assists he'll be more valuable to us than any of those players (with the exception of Villa).
