Robin Van Persie this week announced that he will not sign a new contract at the club as he enters the final season of his current deal. Club captain, talisman, highest paid player, top goal scorer and the Gunners current longest serving player has no desire to commit his future to Arsenal, sighting disagreements over how to move the club forward. This seems logical, as Arsenal have been stuck in the very definition of rut for the last 7 years, or it could be that he has fallen foul to the curse of the modern day footballer and the wage structure at Arsenal wouldnt allow what he would get from the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus. Worse too has come the news that England winger Theo Walcott, only 23 and not yet close to his peak, is also refusing to sign a new contract extension on his Emirates deal that also expires in 12 months time. Walcott has said that his future relied on the club securing Van Persie's contract and now the announcement has come that they failed on that, Walcott will likely need to be sold to potential suitors Juventus or Chelsea for fear of losing him for free in 12 months time. This leaves Arsenal in the same place it was in this time 12 months ago when top players Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas (also then captain) left after seasons of not winning anything and for the pursuit of earning more money elsewhere with Arsene Wenger once again losing the battle to motivate and inspire his players in to believing that his project at the Emirates isnt one that will never reach completion. If the players start to believe this maybe its time for the board and fans to face the tough reality that maybe its never going to happen under the long-serving French boss; and if Wenger fails to command the respect and loyalty of players he reared and trusted how long until he cant bring any big names to the club to rebuild? How long until others get sick of the static nature of Arsenals non-progression and we are here in a year talking about Alexandre Song? Wojciech Szczsny? Thomas Vermaelen? Or even Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain? Players want to prove themselves with trophies and success, and that isnt at Arsenal, and with another captain and top player leaving them behind it doesnt look to be coming any time soon. The seeming desperate nature of Arsenals inability to maintain the key players of their squad each summer leads them needing to rebuild constantly, and with Wenger seemingly unable to do this or get loyalty from his star players it begs the question: should Arsenal find someone else to lead them on? This isnt the first time this has been talked about, last summer saw the lowest approval rating from the fans since Arsene took over the job and many were thinking they needed someone fresh to inspire faith and progression in a club stagnating; treating Champions League Qualification as a trophy when it isnt...Even Tottenham can do it. Its difficult to right off a man who led Arsenal to 3 Premier League trophies, invented the invincible and has won 4 FA Cups...But that success ended a long time ago. Theres only so much loyalty a club can give a man who used to succeed before they need to cut the cord; Liverpool proved that earlier in the summer and maybe its time for Arsenal to do the same to progress. Arsene Wenger has been a great servant to Arsenal Football Club and has inspired some of the best football and players we have ever seen in the Premier League, but with trophies not inbound, key players outbound and a seeming never ending stream of transition seasons, maybe this is time to say thank you and goodbye; and then move on in to an era where success isnt a memory, its an incoming reality. Leave your opinions on the matter below! Agree? Disagree? Who would you like to see? Tell WhatCulture all.
