Summer fight for Cesc still seems inevitable
Add comment April 1st, 2009
Cesc Fabregas has only captained Arsenal in five games. The appointment that sparked a revival in our fortunes has remained just that – a catalystic spark, with the rest of the squad left to keep the flame alive. That will change this Saturday, when Cesc is almost certain to return against Manchester City. If our season goes extremely well, it’s possible he could play another fifteen games this season. The real question mark is over whether or not he’ll be here for the next one…
I’ve always maintained that Cesc’s injury is what will prevent him leaving this Summer. Having been handed the armband, to leave after only a handful of games bearing that responsibility could be construed as a failure, and that’s a concept Cesc just won’t want to be associated with.
However, listening to the Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast yesterday, Spanish-based Sid Lowe reported ominously on a press conference in Barcelona where Cesc turned up in a white jacket. Asked as to why he was wearing that colour, he reportedly said “I think white suits me, no…?”. Only a nudge and a wink were missing. Throw that in alongside these stories of Madrid’s previous attempt to lure our skipper, a Spanish press more suggestive and manipulative than Jessica Rabbit, and a Real presidential election and the Summer is all set up for a tug of war over everyone’s favourite Catalan.
I’m not saying I think Cesc will leave. He is under contract until 2014, and Arsene will fight tooth and nail to keep him. He’s not only the heartbeat of this side – he’s the brain of it too, and I’m sure we’ll be reminded just what a player we have on our hands when he returns to the side as soon as this week. But with Florentino Perez set for re-election as Madrid’s President, he will be determined to bring with him a big name. The early shortlist is rumoured to read: Ronaldo, Kaka, and Fabregas. If £250,000 a week can’t tempt Kaka, I’m not sure Madrid will, and Real have already failed in one protracted bid to sign Ronaldo. We need to brace ourselves for our resolve to be tested. Keeping Cesc isn’t simply important – it’s essential. Fortunately, it seems CEO Ivan Gazidis seems resolute.
Amaury Bischoff has spoken to ArsenalTV about his ambitions of reaching the highest level in football:
“Obviously at the moment many people do not know me, but I have high hopes for my game. I know that Dennis Bergkamp was a big hero here before, and he is a big inspiration to me. I don’t like to compare myself to players, but I am a little Portugese and a little French, so maybe I would say I am like Figo and Zidane. But I don’t like to compare. I am Bischoff.”
A video clip of the interview can be found here.
Elsewhere, some Robin van Persie quotes have appeared about his desire to see his ambition matched by the club. They’re very familiar, and may simply be recycled from a few weeks back. Robin says he feels he “can play an important role in taking Arsenal to a higher level”. I’d agree – but I’d say that the first thing he could do in that vein is make a significant committment to the club who stuck by him through injuries and several controversies by signing a new deal. Again, if Robin doubts the club’s ambition, then Gazidis is the man to talk to:
“If we want to be the club that we want to be, we have to be competing for the Premier League title and it’s not good enough for us to be in fourth place. I think there are a variety of reasons we are in fourth place but it’s not the level of our ambition – not the level of Arsene Wenger’s, the board’s or my ambition.”
I think that’s a message that the fans will be glad to hear. So far the man has been as good as his word, helping to deliver Andrey Arshavin, and I look forward to his first Summer working alongside Arsene and Ken Friar in the transfer window.
