Former Arsenal captain and current heir-apparent to Xavi at Barcelona Cesc Fabregas has today vocated his concerns over the current Robin van Persie contract situation, which could mirror than of Samir Nasri’s over next summer. The Catalan spoke glowingly of his successor but was unsure over the Dutchman’s future:
credit to yahoofantasyfootballuk
“I don’t know if they will keep him, it is his decision. At his age, if he wants to move, it will be his last chance and it he wants to stay he will stay and retire at Arsenal. We will see what he decides but he’s been very loyal to Arsenal for a few years. He is a key player, the fans love him. For me, he is the role model of Arsenal, the star player and they cannot afford to lose him.”
Aside from the comment about him being loyal to Arsenal over the past few years I agree wholeheartedly with Cesc - if anything, persevering with a player so injury prone and keeping him as our first choice shows loyalty on the part of the club. Despite these comments (which are probably inaccurate – van Persie has said he wants to retire at boyhood club Excelsior Rotterdam) being wholly from the heart and innocuous, the Daily Mail managed to spin them as a ‘warning for RVP to leave’.
”He is having an amazing season and hopefully he will be fit for the whole season. Unfortunately, when I was there, he never enjoyed a whole season and it was one of the things I regret a little bit. I hope he can keep going like that. Could he come to Barcelona? He would fit in anywhere but I’m an Arsenal fan and I want him to stay at Arsenal.”
This again is fair enough: we can all agree that if he stays fit there’s no doubt that we will succeed and if he leaves he could command a starting position in any club in world football – Szczesny’s recent comment that he has to be considered up on a level with Ronaldo and Messi seem well founded as on current form he’s arguably the best striker in the world. Let’s hope we can tie him down on to a new contract (£140k per week is probably market price) and this doesn’t take until the summer as John Cross of the Mirror has hinted at.
Other News
- Jack Wilshere is allegedly one of five young players on Real Madrid’s ‘Madrid 2014′ transfer list
- Borussia Dortmund deny any contact from Arsenal for either Kevin Großkreutz or Mario Goetze
- Arsenal legend Robert Pires has turned down an approach from Doncaster Rovers to sign him
