Photo by Kirby Lee – USA TODAY Sports
Both Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh‘s exits from Arsenal are good news for the club.
Although it means two less attacking players available for Arsene Wenger to select from, it is a huge relief to cash in on Gervinho and move on from the ‘dead wood’ striker Chamakh.
Gervinho’s promising start at the club from two seasons ago simply never continued, and he ended up being quite simply a pain for Arsenal fans to watch. For £6.9 million, it’s a real bonus that they have managed to sell him, given the fact they would have preferred him to move on from a period that has seen little progression.
It means that Arsenal now have more money available once again, but it is very important that they have turned away from that depressing feeling that many Gooners felt when the likes of Gervinho and Chamakh miserably failed to live up to standards.
Chamakh’s exit is expected to be a loan to Crystal Palace, but his time at Arsenal is effectively up — there is no future for him there. To get him away from the club is also surely a huge relief.
The mere fact that Arsenal fans see his name on the squad is likely to frustrate them. If that was to continue for another season, there is a good chance that the uproar from early January 2013 could return, especially if Chamakh was still being relied on.
Arsenal need to replace the two attackers, but not with something average again. They’ve made the money now, and this is the next period for the club. The success came, the stadium was built, then the Premier League’s spending era hit them hard; now that they have the ability to compete in that area, it’s time they really utilized that option.
Stowe Gregory is an English featured Soccer and Sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him or tweet on Twitter @stowegregory. Or add to circles on Google +
