Now that the want-away Dutchman Robin Van Persie has all-but finally made the move that many had hotly anticipated for weeks, some might say there is a gaping hole in the Arsenal squad where last season’s top scorer once was, and very little time for manager Arsene Wenger to bringing in a replacement. The next two weeks should see thousands upon thousands of words dedicated to who Arsene might bring in to replace the Dutch international, and Arsenal fans will likely devote thousands more of their own to the debate, as well as to exploring whether the wheels are falling off at the Emirates.

What is certain now, regardless of how you feel about the club’s ambitions, is that Wenger has a massive £24m that he could possibly spend on bringing in a replacement, or on strengthening the rest of his squad.

The latest rumours have Arsene Wenger interested in bringing in Robert Lewandowksi and Manchester United’s Mexican striker Javier Hernandez, but the media have spent the entire summer looking ahead to the possibility of the player leaving, and have thrown in any number of names to plug the gap. But Arsenal need a similar sort of player to ensure a similar kind of goals return as Van Persie’s last season, and that sort of player does not come cheap in the current market with mega-rich clubs like Man City, Chelsea and PSG willing to pay over the odds to bully selling clubs into considering their offers.

The next couple of weeks will be key to how Arsenal’s season progresses. And that’s assuming Wenger will even feel the need to make a new prestigious striker signing, having already spent a relative fortune on Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.  He may choose to bring in a relatively cheaper option to boost squad numbers – someone who would fit the old Wenger bill of a developmental player with their best years ahead – and use the rest of the money to shore up his defence or to bring in more creative midfield competition.

But it is likely Arsenal fans will call for a striker signing, and a statement of intent from the board who many will feel disappointed in after the Van Persie deal.

So who do you think should be signed as RVP’s replacement?

Click next to reveal our own ten picks for who should replace talismanic front-man Robin Van Persie…

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