The start of the new season is drawing ever closer, and still Arsenal have far too many players they need to offload. The only player they have managed to sell so far is Carlos Vela, and they have to sell more to make room in their first team squad.
They faced a similar situation last summer, and ended up loaning out some of the players they couldn't offload. The big obstacle in their attempts to sell these players seems to be the wages paid to them by Arsenal. Unfortunately Arsenal have had to pay very high wages to promising players to ensure they stayed at the club, and these players don't always make the grade.
As a result Arsenal have had real difficulty in selling players like Nicklas Bentner, Denilson, Marouane Chamakh, Sebastien Squillaci, Andrey Arshavin, and Ju Young Park. Their combined wages and transfer fees would probably be enough to bring in the two players Arsene Wenger is still keen to sign. It does look like he will make those two signings anyway with Santi Cazorla and Nuri Sahin looking to be the most likely players to arrive.
Those who are supposedly "in the know" have being telling Arsenal fans for weeks that these two players signings are imminent. The chances are they will eventually be right, but nobody is truly in the know in my opinion. The only people who actually know what is happening are those involved in the negotiations in both clubs, and I would imagine the players too.
I think Cazorla would be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, and he could be the creative spark their midfield has being missing for quite a while now. With Jack Wilshere out of action until October I think the midfield needs some genuine quality added, and he certainly fits the bill. I just hope all of the rumours are right, and he dons the red Arsenal shirt very soon.
Of course the saga of Robin van Persie's expected departure continues, and it's effect on the other players and the fans is hard to judge. The players are continuing their preparation for the new season, but it cannot be easy for them to work with a player every day who would rather be elsewhere. I don't care what has been said about his supposed professionalism, as his statement from last month showed exactly how little of that he has.
For a club captain to undermine his own club in such a manner was quite incredible, and he will never be the same player again for me. Even if he stays for next season and sees out his contract I will find it hard to cheer him when he plays. The best solution for Arsenal is to be rid of him s soon as possible, and get on with the business of building a team with players who want to play for them.
As an Arsenal fan I have become used to players looking to leave the club, and the club have survived when better players than RVP have left. The most frustrating thing about the saga is how it is hanging over Arsenal's start to the new season. They have only one pre season game left before they face Sunderland in just over two weeks, and it's time for some action to be taken.
I know there is very little the club can do to get other clubs to increase their offers, but they have to think of what is best for the club as a whole. A disruptive influence cannot be allowed to fester at the club, and they need to cash in as soon as possible.
My ideal scenario would be for Arsenal to start the new season with all the above players I mentioned at new clubs, and a few new arrivals to bolster the squad. I can't see all of that happening in the next two weeks, but I hope it doesn't all come down to deadline day yet again. Last summer was a disastrous one for the club, and the transfer mayhem directly affected the team's start to the season.
It cannot be allowed to happen again, and I cannot imagine that it will. All the signs are that RVP will be sold, as new boy Lukasz Podolski has not been issued with a shirt number yet. I'm sure he would love to have RVP's number 10 shirt, but there is also the possibility of Park's number 9 being available very soon.
Finally for today I have to mention that my blog is four years old today. On this very day in 2008 I posted my first Arsenal blog on Oleole, and I have continued it on a very regular basis ever since. It's not always easy, but it certainly helps me to deal with my feelings for Arsenal by sharing them with others.
Hopefully I'll still be writing about Arsenal in another four years, and I'll have a few trophies to write about too.
Finally, finally for today don't forget to join my Fantasy Premier league for the new season with prizes for the top three teams. To join up just go to the site and use the code 17031-6252 to join my league when your team is set up. If you were in my league last season you should automatically be given a choice to rejoin it once your team is set up. There are over 400 teams in my league at the moment, and I'm hoping to match last season's total of over 1,000 teams.
That's it for today.
See you tomorrow.
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