Latest Transfer News: Robin Van Persie has been sold to Manchester United

So it’s done.

The news went up on the site earlier today (well in my time zone at least). In a brief statement, the club had this to say:

Arsenal Football Club can confirm that terms have been agreed for the transfer of Robin van Persie to Manchester United.

Van Persie will travel to Manchester on Thursday in order to agree personal terms and complete a medical ahead of the proposed move.

Further updates will feature on Arsenal.com in due course.

Reports so far seem to suggest that the fee is £24 million (22.5 up front, the rest if United win the league or Champions League in the next 4 seasons), which to be honest, seems like a good price. I honestly would have been shocked if we ended up getting much more than £15 million, but what do you know. For a player who is 29 with one year left on his contract, and who has until recently, been very bogged down with injury, I think we have done very well.

However, this is a very sad day. Many times over the years we have lost our best players to the money bag clubs and the European powerhouses, but never in the time that I have supported the club have we ever lost our best player to one of our fiercest traditional rivals. Losing players to City I can tolerate to an extent. They go there for the money, and for cheap glory. I can understand players making that move, especially young ones. But a player moving to Manchester United? I am really struggling with this one.

I guess it would be hard to argue that at the moment, Arsenal are in the same ‘league’ as United, but nonetheless, we have basically made it official now. Players move from clubs like Everton to United. From Aston Villa to Liverpool. From Newcastle to Liverpool. Players should not be moving from Arsenal to United. We have effectively conceded that we are not a big club.

I understand that maybe the decision was out of our hands. We were being punished for past errors, and losing Robin was not something that could be changed by a new transfer philosophy. However, let me put it to you a different way:

We have signed Podolski, Cazorla and Giroud for a combined total (I will be generous) of £40 million.

We have sold Vela and Van Persie. I also fully expect Song to be moving on shortly. Together, these players will add up to at least £45 million, that doesn’t even include any further sales (I expect at least Bendtner to move on). We also have to think about the fact that Walcott still hasn’t signed a new contract, and there is a chance of him being shipped off as well.

Does that sound familiar? Every single season, we end up making a profit in the transfer window. I guess I’m being overly negative, and maybe Song won’t be moved on. But the reality is, that the same pattern keeps appearing. I honestly believe this transfer window will end up very similar to last year’s, but of course in a reverse order. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the money from Van Persie and Song (if he leaves at all) gets reinvested. However, I think we have been following the club long enough to know how unlikely that is.

Anyway, that is probably enough for today. I am probably a bit upset about this really, so I am probably being a bit irrational, so I’ll leave it for all of you to discuss.

Until next time.

Some Related Stories:

Category: Arsenal News, Arsene Wenger, Transfer News and Player Movement, Transfers