The Van Persie Thread

[Zaid Derweesh]

I don't like the other thread so much because its called Mrs Van Persie and Mummy Van Persie and I can't take it seriously.



Thoughts? I'm starting to change my stance on this whole affair seeing as it looks like no deal will be signed. It's early days but anyway:

Put our best contract offer on the table, with a guarantee of signing 2-3 excellent players. Put a deadline: end of Euro 2012. If he doesn't sign it, then withdraw that contract and put a weaker one on offer indefinitely. Meanwhile, make a list of 3 or 4 of the best available strikers in the world. I don't know what names will be there: Muniain? Cavani? Llorente? I don't know, suggestions from you guys please. Anyway, the day Euro 2012 is over, if nothing on RVP, then we go out and sign them. RVP is free to stay or leave, but he should know his place is now under threat, and the team is moving on.

We should've learned by now that Arsenal is bigger than any one player. Bigger than Henry, bigger than Fabregas, bigger than Nasri, bigger than RVP.

I still love him, and he's irreplaceable fully, but we can replace him partially while still leaving the door open for him. But our summer plans can't be delayed for him.

[Ashraf Peeran]

Oh how I wish Wenger and the Board would read this.

Absolutely spot on. We can't be hoping till the last day of the window that he'll sign and then be left high and dry, like with Cesc and Nasri. We need to give him a deadline, and while he's mulling over it, make sure we have an adequate plan of action if he decides he wants to leave.

But first and foremost, he's our captain, our best player, we need to do whatever we possibly can to keep him.

[Mario]

The deadline can't be the end of the Euros, though. Holland may reach the semis or final, there will be no time. Even the quarters, really. He will want a holiday and it takes time to reach an agreement, sign things off with the lawyers. We've seen how long it takes to make signings, even when the player is definitely coming (Nasri, Gervinho, Arshavin).

I agree we need to propose a deadline because last summer killed us just not sure when. August 1st? Before we head out to Country X/Y/Z? I don't know.

What we need to do now is try and finalise other deals. M'Vila. Contracts for others. Oh wait, M'Vila is going to the Euros and so is Walcott... I guess we can come up with back up plans in case RVP demands to leave and doesn't want to see out his contract. I don't have much hope that we get all our deals done before the new season starts, it's Arsenal we're talking about here.

[Michael Schatzky]

I agree Zaid. Arsenal's position should be something along those lines.
( But in reality we know that Wenger won't sign the world's best striker, he'll just move up the timeline for Theo to start playing centrally )

No one is bigger than the club.

I just hope last summer taught Gazidis and Wenger a couple of things :
1- players leave even if they "love" you,
2- you better have a plan in place well in advance in case they do.

Whatever the machinations were behind the scenes last year it was Nasri and Fabregas 's decisions that essentially dictated most of Arsenal's actions that came after. That is backwards. It should be us telling them. Such poor management.
As for RVP in particular, part of me hopes the position he is taking is just leverage, designed to ensure more prominent signings; but I doubt it .

And also, this is the first injury free year of his whole career (and long may it continue), but if he had signed a 4 year 130k last year and gotten injured, there would be many " I told you so's " right now. We can think he is irreplaceable , but whether he is injured and not playing or he has moved on , we need a plan B ...

[ahrstic]

All bases covered in previous posts.

This is true test for our managment and administration. Either we react swiftly and with determination or we are on our way to premiership middle class.

Personaly, the mere fact that club captain (and best player by far!!!) is entering final year of contract at the age of 28 and that, after couple of days of negotiations, we appeare to be already on the loosing end is shocking. We are Arsenal for God sake!!!

Van Persie and Walcott or neither, expensive signings or cheap ones, no matter how our squad ends up looking we need to resolve all questions before pre-season!

And while speaking of Walcott, I pray to gods that he doesnt renew!!! We have gone as far as we can with him, now we need someone better!

[Sami Rockfeller]

And while speaking of Walcott, I pray to gods that he doesnt renew!!! We have gone as far as we can with him, now we need someone better!

He is currently the best winger in our team. Why would you want to get rid of him? Admitted he can be frustrating at times but he's done well this season.

[ralph avedikian]

Cavani would cost too much I think. Falcao too.

Who can realistically replace RVP?? I think we'll end up with podolski our main striker.

[Jonathan Prendergast]

Theo Walcott may be tied in with the deal. RVP likes him, and probably wants him to sign a new contract.

[ralph avedikian]

Anzhi have joined the race to sign RVP, offering him 300k per week fro 3 years.

I'll kill him if he goes there.

[Sami Rockfeller]

Cavani would cost too much I think. Falcao too.

Who can realistically replace RVP?? I think we'll end up with podolski our main striker.

You won't get a realistic replacement for RVP on the cheap.

[ralph avedikian]

Cavani would cost too much I think. Falcao too.

Who can realistically replace RVP?? I think we'll end up with podolski our main striker.

You won't get a realistic replacement for RVP on the cheap.

True, so we'll have to be satisfied with Podolski and hope for the best.

[Mario]

If we have to settle for Podolski to replace RVP, then this club will have gone backwards again. Why can Atletico replace Aguero with Falcao and we have to look for a cheaper option again? Or in this case, no option? If the club loses RVP then they need to dip deep into their pockets. We won't 'do a Leeds' if we look to improve the squad, that's just scaremongering.

Unfortunately, if the likes of Cavani and Falcao left, they would probably look to more recently successful clubs. Chelsea will be looking for a striker, Juventus are interested in Cavani. Not just in terms of trophies and money but ambition. You keep losing your best players, the better players on the market will not see us as an attractive option compared to our rivals. We will be seen as a stepping stone club, if we're not already.

We could maybe get Kalou. Then there's always Bendtner, the div.

[ralph avedikian]

If we have to settle for Podolski to replace RVP, then this club will have gone backwards again. Why can Atletico replace Aguero with Falcao and we have to look for a cheaper option again? Or in this case, no option? If the club loses RVP then they need to dip deep into their pockets. We won't 'do a Leeds' if we look to improve the squad, that's just scaremongering.

Unfortunately, if the likes of Cavani and Falcao left, they would probably look to more recently successful clubs. Chelsea will be looking for a striker, Juventus are interested in Cavani. Not just in terms of trophies and money but ambition. You keep losing your best players, the better players on the market will not see us as an attractive option compared to our rivals. We will be seen as a stepping stone club, if we're not already.

We could maybe get Kalou. Then there's always Bendtner, the div.

I won't be happy with Podolski as RVP's replacement, no one will in fact. We all want him to be replaced by a big 'name'. But come to think about it, Podolski is a very very good player and may suit us better than Cavani or others.

[Mohamed Samir]

If he doesn't want to stay then sell him, get 20-25m and sign Cavani or Falcao for 40m, that's what we should do. Any other replacements won't be good enough.

[Hisham El Mawan]

And while speaking of Walcott, I pray to gods that he doesnt renew!!! We have gone as far as we can with him, now we need someone better!

Please explain to me why you think this a smart thing to say.

[Hisham El Mawan]

Put our best contract offer on the table, with a guarantee of signing 2-3 excellent players. Put a deadline: end of Euro 2012. If he doesn't sign it, then withdraw that contract and put a weaker one on offer indefinitely. Meanwhile, make a list of 3 or 4 of the best available strikers in the world. I don't know what names will be there: Muniain? Cavani? Llorente? I don't know, suggestions from you guys please. Anyway, the day Euro 2012 is over, if nothing on RVP, then we go out and sign them. RVP is free to stay or leave, but he should know his place is now under threat, and the team is moving on.

We should've learned by now that Arsenal is bigger than any one player. Bigger than Henry, bigger than Fabregas, bigger than Nasri, bigger than RVP.

I still love him, and he's irreplaceable fully, but we can replace him partially while still leaving the door open for him. But our summer plans can't be delayed for him.

I agree entirely with this. van Persie is a fantastic player, but we have to be prepared to get a striker who is just as good as he is in case he decides to leave. Podolski is a great signing, but I'm not sure he can replace van Perise. The problem is, which high-caliber strikers are available? Rooney, Aguero, Drogba, Tevez, Villa, and Eto'o are all out of the question. But there remain players such as Cavani, Suarez, Balotelli, Dzeko, Llorente, Falcao, and Hulk who would be excellent additions to the squad. If van Persie fails to extend his contract by some reasonable deadline, then Wenger should start lining up bids for these strikers.

[nick t]

the bottom line is, RVP is irreplaceable. His ball movement, dribbling skills, shooting, and field vision is what helped him score goals, and make our other players better. He knows where to go every single time to get the ball. he makes it look so easy, but it's not. He defines Arsenal football, and no current signing will replicate that.

The answer is not to buy strikers or replacements, but to buy where we really need it, and it sounds like the midfield. That will convince RVP that we are ambitious and want to win a trophy (someone said this before). That's what needs to happen, simple. When healthy, our defense is great, 2 reliable left backs, 3 reliable center backs, and a reliable right back (Jenkinson will have to do for now). We already bought Podolski, so it's the midfield that needs help. And when you look at it, it's not easy.

Arteta's been pulling the strings, Song has been pretty good, Rosicky has found his form, and hopefully we'll have Wilshere to start the season. Add a developing Ramsey and Coquelin to the bench and it looks like we're not that bad. So if you make a midfield signing, who drops out? Lots of you want M'Vila, and I'm not that opposed to it, I just don't know how everyone is going to fit. Walcott, RVP, Podolski, Gervinho, Arteta, Song, Wilshere, Rosicky, it's too many. Our midfield stalled a lot in the season, not playing the Arsenal way. Too much play on the wings, very little passing and creating chances through the middle. Lot of possession with a low amount of shots on goal, we've made bottom table teams look great, and all they've had to do was make sure they had positioned themselves. I think it's down to Wenger to figure what's wrong, and that should have been done this season. I'm quite tired of the "playing with the handbrake" excuse, and I'm tired of hearing about how we didn't have the rhythm. If that's a continuous excuse, it's on you Mr. Wenger (and no, I don't think he should be fired, he is the only man that can do the job for Arsenal). Use the summer wisely, not just signings, but player growth and development. Much needed

[Subrat Koirala]

If RVP goes, we'll have to add a bit more money to what we get for him and get a proven striker. There's no two ways about it. The board can talk all they like about the 'self sustained model', but if I want to sell my old car and get a better one, I'll have to invest a bit extra, and I'm not the prince of my country. We all are basically self sustained in our lives, but still manage to find the extra cash when needed, so why not a club like Arsenal?

[Chris Chan]

Problem is the same was true with Cesc and we didn't replace him with anyone 'proven'.

[Zaid Derweesh]

Yeah but that hasn't really worked out, has it? Ramsey and Rosicky have been OK, and even though we've somehow done better this season, we've missed Cesc immensely. We can't do it again...

[Chris Chan]

Im not denying that, just saying that we won't necessarily do what we need and eventually it'll bite us in the ass

[Zaid Derweesh]

Fair point.

Our own Ben Fairthorne seems quite confident on the M'Vila deal, saying even though official contact has only just been made, it's definitely going to happen. He also says there will be one more major signing (maybe). And that Djourou may leave.

I don't know how reliable Fairthorne is, he seems to be reliable enough. Never seemed one to toot his own horn too much.

[vyom.chaudhary]

The Transfer Scout ‏@Transfer_Scout
Gazetta Dello Sport has said that Van Persie was in Torino talking with Juventus and getting a tour of their stadium and training ground.

Is this credible?isnt he with Holland right now? How would he be in Italy touring stadiums?

[Zaid Derweesh]

Doubt it very much.


We need a new striker, whether RVP stays or goes. He played 47 club games last year (more with internationals), has the Euros this summer, and will probably have an equal load next year as well. There's no way he won't break down at some point next season. So another top striker is essential, whether he stays or goes. Plus, bringing in competition may give him incentive to stay as well.

[DaveToffy]

Let's hope there's some teeth to the Giroud links.

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