Arsenal
Who Was The ‘Winner’ In The van Persie Deal? Arsenal or Man Utd?
Robin van Persie has completed his move from Arsenal to Manchester United for a reported £24m. But which club has got the better half of this huge transfer?
Arsenal have lost their top goal scorer from last season, their best player, in the view of some, and certainly their talisman. In return Manchester United have paid around £24 million pounds according to the BBC. Who has the best deal?
Man Utd?
Manchester United get a player of proven international quality, etc . We all know the qualities the Van man can bring to any team. At United he will take the pressure off Rooney. He is versatile and can play in front of him for example or behind Hernandez or Welbeck.
Ask most united fans where last season’s weaknesses were however and the answer is more often than not midfield. Who will create? Who will provide the glittering strike force with the passes and platform for them to dazzle?
Other Old Trafford regulars point to defensive deficiencies. How much longer for the aging Ferdinand? Will the potential of Jones and Smalling be realised?
United have strengthened an existing strength and so far done less about perceived weaknesses and it has cost them a relative fortune for a 29-year-old with an apparently brittle body, questionable disciplinary record and one really good season in 8 yrs.
What about Arsenal?
They paid £3.5 million or so for him and make a cool £20million or so profit. And all for a player who is effectively a 29-year-old one-season wonder. Van Persie could not be relied on this season to play as many games as he did in 2011/12. Last season luckily for them he found health because the back up (I give you Chamakh and Park!) was frankly nowhere near good enough.
The goals of last season will be missed and just how much will depend on Giroud and Podolski ,the new boys , and others too. Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arteta will need to step up to the plate. Time will tell on that one.
The damage to Arsenal is in what Van Persie was. His programme notes on what it meant to captain Arsenal. The photo of the teenage Robin proudly wearing his Arsenal shirt. The leader of young men. The go-between within the club. The unifying figure in a changing room of many nations. How can all that be measured?
In hard football and business facts Arsenal have the better deal. The ‘but’ and it’s a big ‘but’ is in all that we care about in football. Our emotional investment, club loyalty, trust . In all of those Arsenal are the biggest losers.
Guest post by Lloyd the Gooner
Who do you think has got the better deal? Get involved in the comments section.
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