With a week until kick-off, Robin van Persie’s Arsenal future is still unresolved.
Arsenal have a big decision to make over the next three weeks, and it is not just whether to keep Robin Van Persie.
Even if he stays, the Gunners will have to decide whether to keep him as captain. There are pro’s and con’s to each option, which include having the club undermined by the player’s stance and not taking action, but also pushing him closer to the exit door.
Here are four potential scenarios.
1) Van Persie signs a new contract, and keeps captaincy
2) Van Persie signs a new contract, and is stripped of captaincy
3) Van Persie stays but does not renew, and keeps captaincy
4) Van Persie stays but does not renew, and is stripped of captaincy
And then there is the time issue.
If Arsenal are minded to strip the Dutchman of the captaincy now, rather than after the transfer window, surely it will facilitate an even further breakdown of relations between player and club.
With the potential that the situation could still be repaired, and their star player gradually being welcomed back into the fold, perhaps removing the captaincy from Van Persie would be a bad move.
Yet with his reception from Arsenal fans against Cologne described as ‘lukewarm’ at best, fans are less than thrilled with seeing the wantaway contract rebel wearing the captain’s armband. Lukas Podolski’s brace showed that life goes on, in terms of goals too.
Both Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta would be fine replacements as captain, able to command the respect of his teammates. A captain needs to be pulling in the same direction as the rest of his team, and right now, Van Persie is not.
What do you think Arsenal should do with regard to Van Persie and the captaincy?
image: © cactusbeetroot
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