Prior to Robin Van Persie’s announcement last week, the general noises coming out of the Emirates Stadium indicated that Arsene Wenger wanted RVP to play alongside his new signing Olivier Giroud. However, comments from Giles Grimandi suggest otherwise, with the Arsenal scout claiming that Giroud was brought in to compensate for the potential loss of RVP.
Speaking to le10sport.com, Grimandi said, “Was the recruitment of Giroud made to compensate for his Van Persie’s departure? Yes, we worked to avoid being cornered. We want him to stay home but he is left with one year on his contract so it is complicated. At Arsenal, there is a healthy atmosphere, he’s been here for eight years and he has a real commitment to the club.”
The comments will certainly come as a surprise to some supporters, who were convinced that Wenger had purchased Giroud to play alongside Van Persie and fellow new recruit Lukas Podolski. Bearing this in mind, it now remains to be seen if Wenger will be allowed to dip into the transfer market again – if Van Persie does find himself departing the club this summer. Should the former Feyanoord man end up being sold, the Gunners would surely be in line for a huge transfer fee and it would heap more pressure on the board if this was not reinvested in the playing squad.
Of course, nobody quite knows what to expect in relation to this matter. Many people claim that following his statement last week, Van Persie has severed all ties with the club and it will be difficult for him to carry on considering impending exit. However, on the other side of the coin, no other club has made an offer for the Dutchman and with time ticking before the new campaign starts, you’ve got to ask the question why this hasn’t happened.
