Robin Van Persie has been quiet since announcing he would not sign a new contract at Arsenal. Is he about to change his mind?
Here are five reasons why we believe it could happen…
His stinging criticism has had an effect
Van Persie clearly had an axe to grind with Arsenal’s management, criticising the board for not sharing the same vision to take the club forward as he did. The Dutchman has effectively called Arsenal’s bluff to spend big. Now the question lies in whether the Gunners are going to go out and spend big. Stan Kroenke and Ivan Gazidis will have been in discussions, with Wenger too, and may decide to over-compensate to pacify their star striker. The Arsenal board have been criticised from all quarters, and if they put up the cash and go and make a marquee signing or even two in response, they can still convince him to stay with the club.
Lack of options/Time elapsing
It is now more than one week since Van Persie announced he intended to leave, yet he is seemingly no closer to a transfer. The transfer window may have only just opened, but clubs are beginning their pre-seasons and there is little over one month before the Premier League kicks off again. Euro 2012 has cut into his timeframe to sort out his future, despite Holland’s early exity. What of his options? Manchester City have yet to make a bid, while Real Madrid and Barcelona are eerily quiet on the striker. Juventus want him, but are exploring other options, including the younger Stefan Jovetic. Any interest from Manchester United is yet to become formal, and a move to PSG in France would surely show a lack of ambition from the striker himself, with Ligue One considered a step down. So far only one bid, from Juventus, before his announcement, has been lodged with Arsenal. Having had a week to explore his options further, Van Persie may just decide to stay in the absence of clubs knocking down Arsenal’s door.
Ibrahim Afellay’s availability
Ibrahim Afellay is one of Van Persie’s closest friends in football, on and off the pitch. The pair demonstrated a good understanding for Holland prior to Euro 2012 at least, and Barcelona are understood to have made the talented winger available for transfer. They may both end up at a different club, but Arsenal would be shrewd to snap him up. Not only would he provide cover for Theo Walcott on the right in case the Englishman too decides to leave, but it might just persuade Van Persie to stay. He would only cost around £6 million too, it seems like Arsenal would be foolish not to make a move. Van Persie clearly rates him, is often talking him up, and seeing his friend arrive may make it harder to leave. For all we know, and allow some further speculation here, Van Persie could have fallen out with the board over whether to sign Afellay, among others. With him up for sale, the Gunners should make an offer.
He can still be an Arsenal hero
Van Persie may have upset the majority of Arsenal’s support, but a good number of fans share his concerns, and feel he was right to voice them. If his words jolt Arsenal into further action in the transfer market, and he elects to stay and sign a new contract, the whole incident will begin to be swept under the carpet. Players, like all human beings, make mistakes. RVP has had a lot of hero worship over the past year, and the saga is a reminder he is mortal after all. It will take time for fans to forgive him entirely, but signing a contract should be enough of a commitment to pacify most supporters, and as the season goes on and he starts banging in the goals it will all be more or less forgotten. Is Van Persie having second thoughts? If he is, which reports have indicated, then he should know the situation is not too far gone to make a U-turn on and return to his position of adulation.
Precedent
Would it be the first time a star player has questioned his club’s ambition only to turn around and sign a new contract? Of course not. The parallels with Van Persie and Arsenal, and Wayne Rooney and Manchester United are clear to see. Arsenal fans will hope the resolution is the same as Rooney’s. Back in October 2010, Rooney announced his intention to quit the club, criticising their prospects, but days later public pressure from Ferguson and promises from the board persuaded him to stay. If the Arsenal board and Van Persie can sort out their differences, they can repeat the scenario. Van Persie will know the humiliation of backtracking should not be one to fear, Rooney did it, and is an example of how despite his misgivings about ambition, he can still be a hero to the club’s fans. Should he be having doubts he may look to Rooney as an inspiration on how putting things right can actually work.
What are the chances? Will Van Persie change his mind or are you resigned to him leaving?
images: © ibeeckmans, © Mark Pritchard
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