Arsenal: Is It Time to Let Robin Van Persie Leave?

Before embarking upon the labor-intensive task of listing everything that Arsenal striker Robin van Persie is as a player (the list stretches forever onward), let's begin with what he's not.

Robin van Persie is no mercenary. He has developed from a talented Feyenoord-product predisposed toward playing on the wing into a world-class center forward during his seven years with Arsenal.

He has not used his time with the club to seal a move to a "bigger" club, content to use his time in Ashburton Grove as a glorified (and well-paid) internship of sorts. On the contrary, has remained through thick and thin. And there's been a lot of thick.

Had he not moved to North London in 2004, would he have started in the 2010 World Cup final or become an indisputable starter with Holland on international duty?

I doubt it. He would have been good—he simply possesses too much talent, but the club often makes the player. Look at Wesley Sneijder before he sealed his move from Real Madrid to Inter Milan.

He was a talented prospect who had done well at Euro '08, but once he moved to Italy the tiny maestro entered another realm.

By learning from Thierry Henry and, to a greater extent, participating in Arsene Wenger's footballing system, van Persie morphed into a player steeped in technical prowess. Yet his finishing, now so clinical up front, developed during his time with Arsenal.

The man has shown over the course of 2011 just how far he has come, netting goals at every beck and call.

His rampant strike rate must send a twinge of regret down the spines of Arsenal fans, who can only wonder if every year might have been like this had the Dutchman succeeded in escaping the injuries which have plagued his career.

Van Persie has transformed from an impetuous youth predisposed toward reckless challenges and temper-laced tirades into a calm, collected man that his teammates now call their captain.

While taking on the direction of your team is not an honor to be dropped at a moment's notice, this season has been Arsenal's most harrowing in years. Wrong timing, so to speak.

At 28, van Persie's career window is dwindling like the London sun in fall.

It may be time for him to leave the club after this season in order to seek silverware elsewhere—with a team ready to win now, as opposed to rebuilding.

We've seen Wenger allow stars to leave in pursuit of glory during trying times with the club—most notably with Henry in 2007 and this past summer with Fabregas.

What that says about Arsenal is certainly worrisome, but there is no doubting that this will be an incredibly trying year at the club. Should van Persie be beholden to a club in transition?

One might point to another heralded captain, Steven Gerrard, and argue that the Liverpool skipper stuck by his side during their precipitous plunge from Champions League football in 2009-10.

But Gerrard had already won trophies with Liverpool—most notably that incredible fightback for the Champions League crown in '05. There was no pressing need for him to leave in search of glory elsewhere.

With his current deal set to expire in 2013, might it be in Wenger's best interest (once again) to offload van Persie before he can leave on a Bosman?

The Dutchman has done everything that has been asked of him this season, but it is painfully obvious that this current Arsenal squad is not ready to compete for trophies.

There is a talented core of youngsters coming up (deja vu), but it will take time for them (heard it before) to become a genuine title challenger.

It is not what fans would want, or perhaps even expect from their club. But it's where things have fallen at the moment. The on-field product simply has not been good enough this season.

Now, the returns of Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen, who should both be back at full fitness (knock on wood) by the new year, could breathe new life into the second half of the season—much in the way a healthy van Persie ran rampant upon returning from injury this past January.

A scintillating second half run, in the vein of Liverpool last season, could go a long way toward convincing van Persie to commit his future to the club.

But all that is conjecture at this point. Van Persie is playing coy about a contract extension, which is certainly worrisome from an Arsenal perspective.

Were he to leave, there is talent coming up at the forward position. Joel Campbell, currently out on loan with FC Lorient, is a talent.

But like so many of the youngsters within the squad, he will take time to develop an affinity for the English game. Can Wenger afford another waiting period?

Only time will tell.