Arsene Wenger has been trumpeting the mantra that he wants to keep this excellent Arsenal squad together for next season, and he has already been in contract talks with many Gunners who are nearing the last year of their current deal, including Theo Walcott, Chuba Akpom and Mikel Arteta who have hardly played at all for the first team this season.
But for some reason, Wenger has not even started talking to Santi Cazorla, who has arguably been one of our best and most consistent players in this campaign with 48 appearances under his belt so far. The 30 year-old revealed in an interview yesterday: “I have one year contract and we will see what Arsenal think about the possibility of extending the contract,” he said. “I do not plan anything else for now.”
For now? Does that mean until the end of the season? Cazorla is a player that has consistently been linked with a return to Spain to finish his career. After three brilliant years at the Emirates, and with his undoubted talent, he would be welcome at most clubs in La Liga – so Wenger would certainly have no problems finding a buyer.
Surely Wenger should have stopped any uncertainty by now, he must at least have spoken to Cazorla by now to find out if he wanted to continue his career with Arsenal. Or perhaps he has and simply doesn’t want to give us the bad news just yet?
sooooo… are we just neglecting his previous interview where he said he wants to stay and win trophies with Arsenal??
‘“I have one year contract and we will see what Arsenal think about the possibility of extending the contract,” to me that says he wants to stay.. And I’m going to go out on a limb and say Arsenal has a strong desire to extend the contract of one of our best players… Just a hunch
Santi’s game is technical and intelligence. If he loses a bit of acceleration it won’t have all that much baring on his game, he’ll be playing a long time yet.
Akpom extended already:
“I am very happy because for me the target during this transfer window was on two fronts,” Wenger said on Friday. “The first was to get a defender in and we did that.
“The second was also to extend the contracts of Coquelin and Akpom. That’s what I did as well so we are very happy with what we did.” via Arsenal.com
On a side note as well, Wenger on Theo:
“It’s not too late for him to become a striker,” Wenger said. “I think his position will be striker. I work with him in both situations, as a striker and as a wide player, but the quality of the runs is so fantastic with the pace he has.
“He is a good finisher now. When he was younger he was rushing his finishing, but he is a good finisher now. I bought him at Southampton when he was 17 because I believe in his qualities as a good finisher and now the timing of his runs are very intelligent.
“He’s at the best age, being born in 1989. Being 26 to 32 as a striker is the best age as a striker and I wouldn’t like to miss that golden age.
“He is naturally gifted to play in this forward position, but he has different qualities. Olivier Giroud has a physical presence, back to goal, can head the ball. Theo is more a guy who is a runner, who goes behind.”
Lets hope his golden age is goal-den (terrible! I know)
I personally think there’s only 3 forwards in the league capable of scoring 15-20 goals in the league next season from a wider position. Two of them play for us, and the other has to take penalties to get there 😛
I like the way that sounds let’s move theo to ST and bring in Reus! We would have so many different systems and ways of playing it is mouth watering
Goal-den 🙂
Like that one Josh.
Admin you guys are getting as bad as the daily Mail smh
Fact. Pelegrini keen smoker.
Rumor “Wilshere to join city in June” 🙂
Cazorla is an integral part of that midfield. Should lock him down before the vultures come circling.
🙂
our “little magician” is going no where, he will stay here. And next year if we win EPL( fingers cross), you might see him extending his contract. Not because I admire him the most in our squad, but Wenger also realise his importance to us.
Just to make out the point he was our stand alone star in the first half of this season.
Iwobi,Crowley and Zelalem are waiting for Arteta,Cazora and Roza to retire inorder to replace them,otherwise whats the meaning of developing young talents
I remember the days when players wound their contracts completely down and then signed a new contract while out of contract. Even Vieira did this and so did Petit during the same era. It would not surprise me if Bergkamp was the same. I know Alan Smith did and so did o’Leary. Nobody worried about these players.
Today, if a Gunner is in the last 12 months of a contract fans think the player is going to do a Flamini. They are not. Are you worried about Walcott? Don’t be. The player will accept the contract offered to him because he knows going to another club with lesser players around him => he’ll be exposed as the average player he is and kissing goodbye to International duty.
When Santi says, “We’re definitely buying some new names in Summer and playing with these next Season will be the extra we need to win the title …” clearly indicates he has no plans to leave.
Wenger will sort it in the summer when there is less pressure. He’s just letting Santi focus on his game. The only reason Theo is in talks already is because there are lots of vultures already knocking on the door – both club and Theo wanted to wait until summer but the pressure from external is forcing hands.
Oz and Santi – dazzling midfield display.