Arsenal fans react in horror after RVP didn’t sign on the dotted line
Fear, loathing, paranoia struck Arsenal when the news broke of RVP failing to renew his contract on meeting with Arsene Wenger and Ivan Gazidis on Wednesday. There is a reason why these are called negotiations and RVP will obviously take into account what the other clubs have to offer so he can come back to the table to see if Arsenal can improve their terms. It’s standard operating procedure.
Yes, obviously all this doesn’t guarantee he stay on in Arsenal once the season begins but to think he would commit to a new contract within the space of the first meeting is terribly naive. Juventus and Man City are interested and it wasn’t long before Patrick Vieira began the “Oh, how could Arsenal leave RVP’s future unresolved” line. RVP as per reports is not interested in the Serie and there is little indication he wants to become City’s latest in their conduit to Arsenal. A trip to Camp Nou is more to his liking but the Catalans are in major re-assessment mode themselves with Pep Guardiola’s abdication and their entire defensive corps in need of an upgrade. It is unclear where RVP would fit in with their plans and budget.
The latest is that all of this will conclude well after the Euros are over. If I were Arsenal, it would be best to hedge bets and not get caught with their collective pants down their ankles like they did last summer. In the meantime, there is plenty of chaff to clear. Nicklas Bendtner, Marouane Chamakh, and Park Chu-Yong need new homes. Will we need a plan B to Jack Wilshere seeing that his return seems to be interminably delayed? There is lots to do before RVP’s future is resolved. The idea of a player being irreplaceable is too tethered in sentiment. It would be ideal to have RVP back and recommit to a future at Arsenal but a big payoff in letting him go has fewer downsides if that money can be invested in bringing a crop of new, exciting players to the Emirates. It’s all a bit ironical when we say this in Arsenal’s contest but look no further than Borussia Dortmund or Newcastle for inspiration.