Will the last one to leave please turn off the lights
So everybody is leaving, if the media is to be believed. Edelman has already left, and so has Flamini and Mad Jens. Hleb will leave soon, and if media reports are to be believed, Adebayor is going too. Cesc, Van Persie, Gallas, Senderos are the other “favourites” to leave Emirates this summer.
Of course, it’s all bollocks. I think Hleb will leave, but that’s probably it in terms of players. We are not going to sell Adebayor, and Cesc is very near to signing a new contract (if he hadn’t signed it already). As much as fans want Gallas to leave, I don’t think Wenger will do that, not when experience is lacking in our squad. As for Senderos, unless we sign a new CB, expect him to stay too (and perhaps he might just have a great Euro to prove to us that he does have a future at the club). Clichy, Van Persie and a few others will sign contract extensions too, following my player of the season winner Bacary Sagna’s signing of an extension.
But a few non playing staff looks set to leave Arsenal this summer. Everyone knows about England creating a new full time physio position, and it’s pretty much decided that Gary Lewin will take that position, and hence, leave Arsenal. Colin Lewin might go with him too. There is also a full time team doctor position being created for England, but don’t know if they will raid Arsenal’s medical staff again to fill that role. We have created a new position on the medical team for Neal Reynolds, who will look after the injured players while the regular physio is away with the team … so he won’t be the one to replace Gary Lewin. You wonder, with some criticism coming from the media, blaming our medical team for our bad injury record, why, if the media is to be believed, would England be so interested in luring members of our medical team away?
There’s been a rumour that Pat Rice will leave, but it’s not true. Another one that may leave is Vic Akers, although with the ladies team’s number two already leaving for America, Vic might just stay around for a bit longer.
Of course, we might get a new CEO and CFO, plus the replacement for Gary Lewin, so it looks like a busy summer for the club. Hopefully, we will sign some new players too.