Roberto Mancini recently declared Manchester City’s interest in Robin van Persie, but Arsene Wenger was quick to dismiss any notion that the Dutchman is unsettled at the Emirates Stadium. Meanwhile, Cesc Fabregas did another interview about Arsenal and Jens Lehmann could join the Gunners’ coaching staff.
Robin van Persie’s contract does not expire until the end of next season, though that has not stopped a constant firestorm of rumours erupting surrounding his future. Arsene Wenger left no room for misinterpretation when he said: “We will not lose anybody to Manchester City, or to anybody else, because we want to keep our players. We want to keep Robin van Persie, that is clear; we will do everything possible to extend his contract, that is clear and, apart from that, I can only let people talk.
“I don’t mind [what Mancini said on Wednesday]. I read what Mancini said. It’s not so bad. At our level, we are professional people. I believe if you are to have one quality, it is not to be unsettled because what is said of you by other clubs is part of the job. I would just like to specify that Robin is not at the end of his contract. He is under contract until 2013.” (Source: The Guardian)
Wenger made similar comments about Samir Na$ri and Cesc Fabregas only days before both players left. However, the manager explained that he will handle van Persie’s situation differently:
“I was very adamant [over Nasri at the time] but at the end of the day, it was a difficult situation to manage. We had the players and we felt after the pre-season tour that [Aaron] Ramsey and [Jack] Wilshere could work in midfield and we could add somebody more, and if a player didn’t want to extend, where do we go from there … but we’ll see. We do our best to keep our best players.” (Source: The Guardian)
Others think that Arsenal will sign Lukas Podolski to replace the Dutchman, but Wenger made it clear that “our plan is to keep van Persie, even if we buy any player.”
Unfortunately, Wenger has a habit of making wide-ranging (and sometimes ridiculous) statements during his press conferences. Last summer, right before Na$ri and Cesc left, Arsene (incorrectly) said that there would be no players leaving North London during that transfer window, and the comments he made on Friday seem eerily similar. Many Arsenal supporters are already tired of transfer sagas, but it does appear that the Robin van Persie edition will only continue to heat up from here.
Cesc Fabregas talked about Arsenal again, this time in an exclusive interview with The Guardian. He spent plenty of time speaking about his dream-come-true in the Camp Nou, but he mentioned our club quite a bit as well. About the recent struggles of Arsene Wenger, Cesc said: “Whatever he suffered I suffered it as well. We feel the same and we always try our best. The boss is very strong and he believes in the club so much I am sure he will find a means to bring Arsenal back to where it belongs. I have no doubt because he’s a great man. He knows when he is wrong and when he is right. He will find a way – for sure.”
The whole part about Fabregas “suffering” is odd, because for most of the interview he explains how it is has been heaven to play alongside Messi and Xavi. He talks about how he loves the drive and ambition the Barcelona players possess and how he adores training with Pep Guardiola everyday. It’s all a bit sickening really. Cesc was a terrific player for us, and it was a joy watching him play, but perhaps he should close his mouth about our club. Or at the very least, stop accepting interviews about Arsenal once every two weeks.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal have a coaching position waiting for Jens Lehmann once the former keeper receives the correct paperwork from UEFA. It is expected that Lehmann will complete his training with the Welsh FA and take the job as a coach for the Arsenal Reserves. However, the German Federation has a problem with Lehmann leaving for Great Britain after beginning his coaching training in Germany. In fact, he is currently in a row with the German Federation over this issue. Intrigue is always present in the life of Jens Lehmann!
