For those of you who didn’t manage to see the England friendly last week against the Netherlands, you wouldn’t have only missed the Three Lions inabilities to hold onto a lead longer than five minutes, but you would have also been treated to the magic and flair of Arjen Robben who was instrumental in the 3-2 triumph. The sneaky winger and ex-Chelsea man has put top Premier League clubs on alert this weekend exclaiming that he will consider his options at the end of the current Bundesliga season.
His current employers; Bayern Munich have already made provisions for the next campaign with the pre-contract signature of FC Basel’s much coveted Swiss wide man Xherdan Shaqiri and this move could have direct implications for the long-term future of Robben, and whether he is indeed best suited elsewhere.
Robben told the English press this week
‘I don’t have an ideal situation in Germany. I am now considering my options I have and I will get’.
Any potential signature of Robben this summer would be a coup for any of the Premier League’s big six, and it may come for a fee cheaper than first imagined. London giants Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham could all prize the winger away from Bavaria for what has been reported to be as little as £10 million. The bargain of the summer perhaps?
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Of course, Robben has endured problems with injury in the past, and the midweek game with England only represented the 28-year-olds second game in Bert Van Maarwijk’s international fold since the 2010 World Cup. Nevertheless, according to most pundits, Robben remains in the small bracket of players categorised of ‘world class’ standing. One of the players who lets say had a lower pain threshold than most during his Blues career has sharpened his game after spells in Spain and now Germany.
His abilities to ghost past defenders and crusade up the pitch with fine balance and agility are still in evidence as he reminded English audiences just why he was such a hit when he first joined Chelsea back in 2004. Leaving several England defenders in his wake, his talents could have been put to good use in the underachieving and inconsistent ranks of his former employers or the Gunners this term.
Whilst Arsenal continue to be linked with fellow Bundes Liga star Lukas Podolski, Arsene Wenger’s head may be turned by an affordable £10 million deal by the Gunners standards and a possible link-up with national team partner Robin Van Persie. With one of the London clubs likely to miss out on Champions League football, this may prove the vital factor in Robben’s decision making surrounding a potential to move to either the North or West parishes of the capital.
However, the Dutchman may feel he has unfinished business to attend to at the Bridge after a reported ‘falling out’ with then coach Jose Mourinho who allowed the player to leave for the Bernabeu in 2007.
With Robben’s future still undecided, what continues to captivate watching spectators is that he is a constant menace on the flanks, with his jinking abilities, pace and precision in his movement representing factors which may prove all too appealing to potential Premier League suitors this summer.
If Robben is to move, which Premier League club should he join this summer? Join the debate @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989
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