Van Persie saga, officially not extending contract.

[g88ner]

Fuck it, I would rather he goes for free next season

We wont replace with a pound for pound striker anyway


Leave him to stay until his contract is up. He will be on 80 rather than 130k

Keep him for 1 season alongside giroud and podolski which is a nice thought to be honest

Next season he will be 30, for all we know his value will go right down due to injury or even not having a good season. He might even decide to stay as we could actually win something. Then we hold the cards as he wont be getting fat pay check anywhere else.

That's what I'm hoping for, but it only really works if the crowd get behind him and Van Persie is up for it. Sadly, I don't think it's realistic though, as it'll overshadow our season. The captaincy issue would also be messy, regardless of whether he's stripped of it or not.

[mcdowell42]

Wenger to Eurosport: “we want to keep @Persie_Official at all costs, because we depend on him offensively


Wenger on RvP: “I’ve always supported him even in the hardest times, and I hope he will end his career at Arsenal


Via twitter

[Perryashburtongroves]

Wenger to Eurosport: “we want to keep @Persie_Official at all costs, because we depend on him offensively


Wenger on RvP: “I’ve always supported him even in the hardest times, and I hope he will end his career at Arsenal


Via twitter

Oh, in that case, Arsene, I'm sure he won't go because when you said that about Cesc and Henry and Overmars and Petit and Vieira and Cole, they all stayed, didn't they?

[franksav63]

It's as if Wenger loves these types of situations, he is the one that has made it, just like numerous other similar situations in previous seasons... Veira, Petit, Henry, Fabregas, Nasri.... have I missed any? Anyone else would learn from this and not get into these stupid ''1 year left on their contract'' scenarios... perhaps he just likes having a ready made excuse in case things go wrong...

[mcdowell42]

Arsene Wenger will hold crunch talks with Robin van Persie this week as Arsenal ramp up their efforts to keep their talisman (Mail)

[Dan_85]

Arsene Wenger will hold crunch talks with Robin van Persie this week as Arsenal ramp up their efforts to keep their talisman (Mail)

In other news, bears shit in the woods.

[MM99]

It's as if Wenger loves these types of situations, he is the one that has made it, just like numerous other similar situations in previous seasons... Veira, Petit, Henry, Fabregas, Nasri.... have I missed any? Anyone else would learn from this and not get into these stupid ''1 year left on their contract'' scenarios... perhaps he just likes having a ready made excuse in case things go wrong...

If Wenger had offered RVP a new contract any season before the last he would have been slagged off to the hills. Hell, we even had people on here saying Wenger should sell him! Hindsight is wonderful though isn't it?

[augie]

It's as if Wenger loves these types of situations, he is the one that has made it, just like numerous other similar situations in previous seasons... Veira, Petit, Henry, Fabregas, Nasri.... have I missed any? Anyone else would learn from this and not get into these stupid ''1 year left on their contract'' scenarios... perhaps he just likes having a ready made excuse in case things go wrong...

If Wenger had offered RVP a new contract any season before the last he would have been slagged off to the hills. Hell, we even had people on here saying Wenger should sell him! Hindsight is wonderful though isn't it?

Surely though it is one or the other .......if wenger decided he was keeping him then he HAD to get him to sign a new deal regardless of what the fans felt or otherwise he had to sell him then but now he has allowed it get to the situation where we face the very real prospect of losing our captain and best player on the cheap or for nothing Most of those that advocated selling rvp (and I was one of them) favored that move purely cos of his injury record and not cos of any knock on his ability and there are a few who are wary of the idea of awarding the guy a bumper deal for that very same reason and I don't think that is an unreasonable stance. If this contract situation was a one off then I could maybe agree with your point but this has happened with a host of players in recent seasons (frank forgot flamini) so you trying to deflect blame towards the fans is conveniently ignoring the continued practices of allowing players contracts to run down and this is unacceptable management by everyone at the club

[MM99]

The fact of the matter is that those now complaining would also have been the first to complain had RVP been offered a new deal a few years back, much in the same way Rosicky was who turned out to be another one of our better performers this season. You can't have it both.

[augie]

The fact of the matter is that those now complaining would also have been the first to complain had RVP been offered a new deal a few years back, much in the same way Rosicky was who turned out to be another one of our better performers this season. You can't have it both.

And neither can wenger - he wanted to keep him, he made him captain then surely it would be negligent to allow another captain walk out the door ? You make it sound like the fans were the reason why wenger didn't sort out his contract situation before now when the reality is that he will never be influenced by fans that way and it is gross mismanagement by him and Ivan that has allowed this to happen

[MM99]

No i haven't said anything about the fans influencing Wenger. All i've said is that those fans who wanted RVP out and would have criticised the club for offering a new contract have no right to now complain. Simple as that and like i said, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[supergeorgegraham]

Stop droning on about VPs age. Due to his injury I think he will be a top player at 33. Its a stupid argument and if he stays Injury free VP will be one of the best in the world for the next few years.
If Arsenal have any chance at all of winning something then VP simply has to stay.
No question at all

[g88ner]

It's as if Wenger loves these types of situations, he is the one that has made it, just like numerous other similar situations in previous seasons... Veira, Petit, Henry, Fabregas, Nasri.... have I missed any? Anyone else would learn from this and not get into these stupid ''1 year left on their contract'' scenarios... perhaps he just likes having a ready made excuse in case things go wrong...

You can add Walcott, Flamini and Edu to that list, frank.

Not sure Cesc should be on your list though. his contract wasn't running short - the issue there was he desperately wanted to play for Barca, and we eventually gave him his wish.

It's certainly a concern that key players are allowed to run their contracts down whilst other less important players (who we want rid of) have long contracts that make them unsaleable.

[I Hate Hleb]

And even Wiltord?

[g88ner]

And even Wiltord?

Even Vermaelen only signed a new contract around Christmas.

If he'd decided to do what RvP and Theo have and wait until the summer, then we'd have 3 in the same boat with one year contracts

Fortunately, he wants to stay.