Arsenal have responded to Robin van Persie’s earlier statement with a short statement of their own. Via the official website, they said:

“ We have to respect Robin’s decision not to renew his contract. Robin has one year to run on his current contract and we are confident that he will fulfil his commitments to the Club.

“We are planning with ambition and confidence for next season with Arsenal’s best interests in mind.”

It is reported that the club had no idea van Persie was releasing a statement today and were rather blindsided by the captain’s online declaration which was drafted for him by lawyers and agents.

What could have been a civilised, if difficult, situation now looks as if it’s going to get nasty as speculation over the need to release such a divisive statement mounts. Will this make the club dig their heels in and hold him to his final year or will the remarks about the ‘fundamental disagreements’ mean van Persie’s position becomes untenable?

It seems a real shame that Robin, who claims to love the club and care for the fans, has gone about this in such a disrespectful manner, and it looks as if the reason behind it is to force a move to a club that he couldn’t go to without a fight.

And I think we all know which club that is.

Meanwhile, Mark Gonnella, the club’s Director of Communications, has denied that Ivan Gazidis is away on two weeks holiday, saying, “Ivan is not on a two week holiday. Such things do not exist for Chief Executives at football clubs or anywhere else.”

So you’d have to ask why van Persie made reference to that in his statement, if not to cause trouble.

What a shame this all is.