Arsenal FC: Offering Robin Van Persie a Record Contract Shows Desire to Win

Arsenal FC is going all out to ensure that club captain and Premier League leading goal scorer Robin van Persie remains at the Emirates long-term by offering him a record contract.

Via the Daily Mail:

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And it is understood Van Persie, who currently earns a basic wage of £70,000-per-week, will be offered a new three-year deal worth around £130,000-per-week—eclipsing the pay packages of Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas. Van Persie will also be offered £5 million signing-on fee if he pledges his future to the club.

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By offering Van Persie a £130,000 weekly wage, almost double what he's getting now, the club has shown their desire to spend the money necessary to win trophies.

However, the decision to sign is going to come down to the Dutchman's willingness to commit to a club that hasn't won silverware since the 2005 FA Cup.

Supporters have grown tired of the club allowing many of its big name players to leave and thus making it difficult for manager Arsene Wenger to have the talent needed to win silverware.

After seeing stars such as Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy leave Arsenal for big spending clubs over the past year, Van Persie will probably want assurance from the Gunners management that it will spend the necessary amount to field a squad capable of winning trophies before he puts pen to paper.

After receiving a lot of criticism from fans about letting those players leave and not replacing them with the same level of talent, the Gunners need to make a strong effort in the summer transfer market to prove to top-tier players that the club is serious about winning.

Players won't want to come to Arsenal, or stay when their contract is up, if they know the club won't make the financial effort needed to compete with the big spenders. Like it or not, you have to spend big in the transfer window to achieve Premier League and Champions League success.

The last three clubs to win the Premier League—Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea—have all spent a lot of money on transfers in recent seasons.

If Arsenal want to regain the throne of English football, they must spend more money to bolster the squad, and giving Van Persie a massive contract is a good start.

The Gunners have made a strong effort to keep Van Persie at the Emirates and offer him an enormous salary by club standards, and it's up to the Dutchman to believe that Arsenal will show that same financial strength in the transfer window to end the club's trophy drought.

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