Who do Arsenal need to sign to Keep RVP?

I think it’s fair to assume that Arsenal wouldn’t be the same team without captain Robin Van Persie in the side. The Dutchman has netted 25 of the Gunners 55 league goals this season with his recent brace coming in the important 2-1 win over Liverpool which has left the club within touching distance of their North London rivals in third place.

It is vital to the club that they secure the striker on a long-term deal once the season is over due to the realisation that, in a little over 12 months time, the 28-year-old’s contract expires. However, they run of the risk of having a similar scenario to that of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, both of whom departed for Manchester City and Barcelona, respectively, at the end of last season.

Serious investment is required if they are to convince the talismanic front-man to extend his stay at the Emirates and below are the players manager Arsene Wenger should be targeting when the transfer window re-opens in the summer.

Edinson Cavani

The Napoli hitman has been in impressive form for the Serie A giants both domestically and on the European front with 24 goals in all competitions. His form has seen him linked with a move away from the Champions League debutants and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has done well to ward off potential suitors for the time being. However, his displays will surely see interest heighten in him again as the season begins to draw to a close.

Chelsea and Manchester City were heavily linked with a move from the Uruguayan in January, but any move failed to materialise. And Arsenal, should they have the funds, would be foolish to turn down the opportunity to sign Cavani. The prolific striker would provide the perfect foil for Van Persie and chip in with numerous goals to ease the burden on the Dutchman. Yet, his performances would have seen his price-tag skyrocket to beyond the £40m mark and whether Arsenal can afford him is another matter altogether. Nevertheless, it would prove a major sign of intent from the Gunners if they were to snare to Napoli striker at the end of the season.

Eden Hazard

The Belgian international has become hot property across Europe over the past 18 months and has been attracting interest from a number of the game’s heavyweights following a series of superb individual displays for Lille in Ligue 1. It had been believed Chelsea were leading the race for his signature over the course of January, but in recent weeks, Tottenham Hotspur were thought to have leaped in front of their London rivals in their attempts to sign him.

Recently confirmed his admiration to move to a club in the Premier League, the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal become strongly linked with a move for the 21-year-old winger. Former team-mate Gervinho currently plies his trade for the Gunners and will, undoubtedly, look to convince Hazard his future lies at the Emirates. And his signing could prove to be a major coup for Arsene Wenger, should he manage to bring the prodigious youngster to North London. Comfortable on the wing or in the centre, he could become a major asset for the top four contenders in their bid to keep hold of Van Persie and reclaim their status as genuine title contenders.

Mario Gotze

Young Gotze has been regularly linked with a move to Arsenal prior to an injury at the Emirates in Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 defeat to the Gunners back in November saw the North Londoners cool their interest in the playmaker. However, there is no denying his quality in the centre of the park and it could be considered that the Germany international is a natural replacement for former captain Cesc Fabregas.

Able to unlock any defence with a single pass, Van Persie would unquestionably thrive off Gotze’s creative influence. The 19-year-old has been imperative to Borussia Dortmund’s success, with 20 assists and 14 goals in 68 games since making his debut for the Bundesliga champions in 2009. Expected to play a major part for Germany in Euro 2012, It may be wise of Arsenal to secure his signing prior to the tournament otherwise run the real risk of seeing his value rise considerably should he prove a success in Poland and Ukraine.

With reports gathering pace that Lukas Podolski will be arriving over the summer, Wenger needs to follow up his arrival with a series of big name signings. Henry Winter on Sunday Supplement claimed the Gunners would be wise to announcing a big name signing the day the transfer window opens in order to outline their intentions. Any of the aforementioned trio would be ideal and could be enough to convince Van Persie to sign a new long-term contract with the club.

Ben McAleer

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