So what's RVP gonna do?

[Eboue-Why?]

This morning we sit in third on the back of 6 straight wins. We have momentum and another good solid performance against Villa will keep it going nicely whilst the Spuds and the Chavs hopefully fight out a helpful 1-1 draw. But what's going through RVP's mind? If we end up staying in 3rd, sign Podolski plus perhaps another 'top' player, will it convince him to put pen to paper?
Come on matey, give us a clue cos it's doing our heads in!!

[flash gunner]

He's going!!!

There you have it E-W dont lose anymore sleep over it

[kg1794]

I think he will stay, if we can maintain 3rd.

Finishing third means Wenger does not have to wait for CL qualification in August to be sure he can spend.

I feel this has two corollaries:
- We can pay RVP a fuck load of money for a new contract (e.g. 4 years at £100,000 per week, plus signing on fee of £5m = a touch over £25m)
- If we can buy decent early in the window, it will show Robin that Wenger wants to improve the team (I feel this is the real sticking point)

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

If I had to put money on it I'd still probably say he's off but I've been increasingly confident he might stay for a while now.

I genuinely don't think he'd want to play for another English club and I cant see why he'd want to play in Serie A (still seems like a poor league) so that "only" leaves Barca & Madrid.

Cant imagine he'd turn down Barca but do they even have the money to go in for him - even with our record of bending over for them? I'm assuming they're still relatively cash poor & their priorities may lie elsewhere. They don't play with an orthodox striker & they play a high-intensity pressing game from the front - not exactly conducive to RVP's game & physical condition. Stupid as it sounds they might just not be quite as good a match for one another as on first glance.

Madrid will def go for him & have the money, but who knows what the manager situation will be. Mourinho seems like he's off & they change managers on a whim, which brings it's own lack of security at a time when RVP seems like he's looking for guarantees.

Plus at Arsenal, he's THE man . He knows if he's fit, he plays. If he gets injured we're not gonna go out & replace him. Our play is/will be built around him, etc. Dont really watch la liga but at Madrid I'm guessing everything goes through Ronaldo & everyone else is at the mercy of whether he feels like passing or not? Now that he's finally fulfilling his own potential he might not want to risk having to adapt his game for others.

He might also be tempted by the outside chance of him having a crack at Henry’s record. He's about 100 short now, could be closer to 90 by the end of the season. Another 4 years plus any extension(s) & he'd have a chance.

Christ that was long-winded.

[Eboue-Why?]

I think he will stay, if we can maintain 3rd.

Finishing third means Wenger does not have to wait for CL qualification in August to be sure he can spend.

I feel this has two corollaries:
- We can pay RVP a fuck load of money for a new contract (e.g. 4 years at £100,000 per week, plus signing on fee of £5m = a touch over £25m)
- If we can buy decent early in the window, it will show Robin that Wenger wants to improve the team (I feel this is the real sticking point)

Hats off to kg for use of corollaries! Now that's a word you don't see used much on the OnlineGooner...ooops sorry I mean Gooner2Gooner!

[SteveO 35]

He's a bright guy and I think he's deliberately given himself to the end of the season to see what the club is prepared to do. He has one FA Cup winners medal in 7 years, and I think the issue has gone way above money (if ever it was money related with him to start with).

I think the club will, quite rightly, offer him the highest wage they have offered a player before - be it £100k, £125k, £150k per week, whatever.

The signing of other players is absolutely critical and it shouldn't begin and end with Podolski. The team is still missing that creative figurehead in midfield, and in my opinion is still also missing a top quality imposing centre half as TV5 and Koscielny have been mostly fine this season, but the likes of Mertesacker, Djourou and Squidgy just aren't up to it in this division and at top CL level. If Wenger signed absolute top class players in these positions over the Summer to add to Podolski, there would almost be a whole new spine to the team, and I think RvP might well be interested in sticking around.

The reserve options at right back and GK need sorting too. Jenkinson is a promising enough lad and progressed when he had a run of games but is he really ready for 10-15 important games a season? The less said about Flapper and Almunia the better, and its an accident waiting to happen if Chesney gets crocked.

If I was in RvP's shoes about to sign probably my final big contract for 4 years or so and had already spent years earning millions, I would want a shot at the big prizes in the game. He's playing for a top national team and his talent deserves more than 1 domestic cup when he looks back at his career. Only Wenger and the board can convince him we can add to that

[RoscommonGooner]

If I was in RvP's shoes about to sign probably my final big contract for 4 years or so and had already spent years earning millions, I would want a shot at the big prizes in the game. He's playing for a top national team and his talent deserves more than 1 domestic cup when he looks back at his career. Only Wenger and the board can convince him we can add to that

I was just about to ask what people would do if they were RvP given the managers recent track record in the transfer market? I don't think that bodes well for us keeping RvP That said, as was pointed out above the only realistic clubs that he would go to are Barcelona or Real. Now, if it's true that Barce are going to sign Neymar that only leaves Real, would he go there? Who knows!

Again, as pointed out above IF we hold on to 3'rd place we can do our transfer dealings early, couple that with the fact that the Euros are on this summer it might just force Wenger to do any transfer dealings before they start for fear of a player costing an extra couple of million Of course I'm assuming that we will be setting our sights on quality not fringe players because that's what we need to sign to keep him.

So, in summary I haven't got a scooby what RvP will do

[kg1794]

I think he will stay, if we can maintain 3rd.

Finishing third means Wenger does not have to wait for CL qualification in August to be sure he can spend.

I feel this has two corollaries:
- We can pay RVP a fuck load of money for a new contract (e.g. 4 years at £100,000 per week, plus signing on fee of £5m = a touch over £25m)
- If we can buy decent early in the window, it will show Robin that Wenger wants to improve the team (I feel this is the real sticking point)

Hats off to kg for use of corollaries! Now that's a word you don't see used much on the OnlineGooner...ooops sorry I mean Gooner2Gooner!

Mate you're too kind, I had to google it to find out how to spell it correctly!

[augie]

If he is smart he goes to the club to ask what their ambitions are and he then gives them until august 1st to show their ambitions by quality recruiting. If, as we expect, the club fail yet again to back up their words with proper action then he simply goes to wenger and the board and informs them that he has no intention of signing a new deal and tells them that it is up to them whether they want to sell him this summer or lose him on a free next summer. Sometimes the players can get too close to a situation and cant tell the woods from the tree's so it is possible that he will continue to believe the crap that wenger and ivan will spout about bringing in quality players but as a fan you would hope that he will see it for the crap it really is and basically bully/blackmail the club into behaving like a big club in this summers transfer window

[QuartzGooner]

Will take significant pay rise, Champions League group stage qualification and clear investment in players to convince him to stay.
Top tax rate reducution to 45% might help a bit too.

[Batflyer]

I think it all depends on Arsenal. I'm absolutely sure he will stay if the club give him a good new contract. He loves the club and there's only one club he would want to go to: FC Barcelona. Van Persie is our star player and he loves to be in that position. And his wife and kids are very happy in London too.

If the Board give him the right contract, he will stay. Without a shadow of a doubt.

[manninger]

Even if he sings a new contract, he can do ''king henry'' after one year after.

Henry got 5 mill, and the year after he went to a spanish club, that i hate for their public persuit of palyers in public

Hope he will stay for ever!!!!

[Red Member]

He will probably sign a big new contract then get injured for the rest of his career

[YellowRibbon]

played shit wednesday, sell him

[foxinthebox2001]

Maybe several of the prospective signings we are linked with would be eager to know if RVP is staying before commiting themselves.
If we have a situation where all parties are waiting for something to happen and it drags into August, expect another last day 'trolley dash'.