Tying Cazorla down shows Arsenal are shelling rep as selling club
Published:That thumping 4-1 win over Sunderland in the Premier League, which followed up FA cup progression against Liverpool, returned the feel-good factor to the Emirates.
And to add further gloss to that classy Arsenal performance some senior players have decided to commit their futures to the club.
Firstly, Czech maestro Tomas Rosicky – who polished off one of the team moves of the season against Sunderland – agreed to extend his stay and perhaps even more significantly Santi Cazorla is now close to extending his current deal.
At 33, Rosicky’s signature can be seen as a bonus for Arsenal fans, whereas the news 29-year-old Cazorla is opting to stay is a real indication that the club are moving away from one that is forced to sell their best players.
While Cazorla is no spring chicken, the fact that the Spaniard and team-mate Per Mertesacker, also 29, are so keen to put pen to paper shows they believe in the club’s ambitions.
For all the flak Arsene Wenger has copped in recent seasons, as the trophy cabinet acquires more cobwebs, his Gunners are finally right in the mix for the Premier League title this season.
Although they are considered the 13/2 third favourites behind Manchester City and Chelsea – both 13/10 shots with Ladbrokes – it’s quite a surprising price considering Arsenal sit only one point behind their London rivals in second at present.
Progression in the Champions League may look like a mission better-suited to Tom Cruise against Bayern Munich, though the FA Cup represents another great opportunity to replace those cobwebs with something shiny.
Losing the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and most recently Robin van Persie have been about the most galling departures for Gooners in recent times, but with speculation rising that the latter could yet return, things, as they say, are looking up at the Emirates.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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