There is a fine tradition at Arsenal that Arsene Wenger has always tried to respect.
Yes, it’s the grand old Gunners way of selling the captain.
Five of them left in just nine years. First Patrick Vieira went to Juventus in 2005. Two years later Thierry Henry left for Barcelona.
Then came an amazing sequence of three leaving in just four years. Cesc Fabregas joined Barca in 2011, then Robin van Persie was sold to Manchester United in 2012 and lastly Thomas Vermaelen also went to the Nou Camp in 2014.
At the end of last season club captain Mikel Arteta retired from playing and left the club to join Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, leaving the armband free again.
But today the club confirmed who would be the new skipper. Step forward Per Mertesacker.
👏 Congratulations to @Mertesacker, our new club captain! pic.twitter.com/BjzOsibEF9
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 13, 2016
But it’s fair to say not all Arsenal fans are impressed with the choice:
https://twitter.com/leeOliver96/status/764410825956290560
Bloody hell. I can't believe Mertesacker has been named captain despite the injury https://t.co/ylDtfDQZ0o
— Lou (@lou_f1994) August 13, 2016
Mertesacker captain. Banter lives on…
— Insaf (@InchoPancho) August 13, 2016
https://twitter.com/Justin_hurst16/status/764410858621501440
Some fans thought this was all a classic Wenger prank:
is this joke ?
— LORD OF THE SOUTH🇳🇬🇬🇧 (@jaynzegwu) August 13, 2016
absolute joke!!
— Shannon Hayes-Whelan (@ShannonTrouble7) August 13, 2016
This fan sums it up with a simple question:
isn't he still injured?
— jessie (@jesshoskingx) August 13, 2016
These three couldn’t even express themselves in words:
https://twitter.com/WeapzAFC/status/764411558332141568
@Arsenal pic.twitter.com/basNgwFMG0
— asher (@AsherNauman) August 13, 2016
https://twitter.com/big_man_joshy/status/764410988401655808
Bit emoji heavy this one, but we *think* these is B O T O 49 showing their displeasure:
😬😬😬😬👎👎👎👎🙃🙃😔
— B O T O 49✨🤍❤️ (@boto49) August 13, 2016
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