Frimpong dishes dirt on Arsenal. Says Arshavin told Wenger ‘I don’t run’, explains RVP exit [Sports.ru]

Former Arsenal man Emmanuel Frimpong is now plying his trade in Russia with little-known side FC Ufa, and this week the former Gooner has dished some dirt on his time at the Emirates.

Speaking to Russian website Sports.ru, Frimpong spoke about why Andrei Arshavin never made it happen in London, as well as why Robin van Persie left the club for Manchester United.

Brilliantly, Frimpong tells the story of how Arshavin told Arsene Wenger he doesn’t run, while on van Persie the midfielder criticises the Gunners for not paying the Dutchman enough so he went to Man United.

Read Frimpong’s comments below:

[Arshavin’s] a great guy. One of the best players who was at Arsenal, his passing was a great loss. Although at the time of his departure, he did not play so often, but still – one of the best players who ever appeared in Russia.

At Arsenal, he scored a lot, gave a lot, I would never have said that his purchase was a mistake. Because it was full of players who have purchased used for about ever larger money, and they did not show even half of what Andrei showed.

He is very funny and very loud guy. And he never ran. I remember one match before Wenger told him that now they need to run. And he was like ‘I do not [run].’ But maybe he was just very very tired! Although without the ball, he still never really ran, so that running was not exactly one of his strengths. But in the attack, he was always good.

Van Persie is one of the kindest people I know. He spent many years in the Arsenal and played great. You know, the problem of Arsenal is with money. Imagine that you are playing for Arsenal, you have a contract for two years.

The contract ends, and they say: ‘We are ready to offer you a new one.’ And you’re like: ‘excellent, I want to sign, salary if £20k a week?. And Arsenal answers: ‘no, we will give you only 15?.

Although they could pay 20, but do not want too. Therefore, the players leave Arsenal, and this is their problem. Nowadays, the big players have to pay a lot of money. So everything is arranged. If you want to play a star, you have to pay them a lot. Now the Arsenal like corrected, they signed Sanchez, but before they would not.