Zlatan Ibrahimovic spurs Robin van Persie to leave Arsenal

AC Milan talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes that Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie may want to leave the Emirates in order to win more trophies.

Now then, it would not be the first time an Arsenal captain has wanted to leave the club for greener pastures.

You may recall a player by the name of Cesc Fabregas, who left the Gunners for his boyhood club FC Barcelona last summer.

Nonetheless, Ibrahimovic has stirred up yet another headline story, something he has done with regularity since his days at Ajax.

The Sweden international has long loved the spotlight, hence his controversial autobiography I Zlatan, which according to Graham Hunter of ESPN Soccernet, is just “one more example of the internal battle between common sense and sense of injustice which Ibrahimovic keeps on losing.”

All things considered, Ibrahimovic seems to have a valid argument on this subject.

Plus, Ibra is more than qualified to give “winning” advice since he has remarkably won a league title in every single season since 2003-04.

In other words, he is a proven winner.

“Van Persie will do a fantastic job wherever he goes, and he will be a big player for whichever team he joins,” Ibra told Goal.com.

“But of course, if your team doesn’t win for a couple of years, inside yourself you still want to win. And if you don’t want that then I will never have you on my team, trust me!”

Van Persie, a fierce competitor, will surely not be thrilled with Arsenal’s record this season.

Today’s 2-0 FA Cup loss to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light is just the latest disappointment, of many, for the Gunners in 2011-12, fueling speculation that Arsene Wenger’s days at the Emirates are numbered.

If Wenger departs north London, I would expect Robin van Persie to do the same.

Regardless, Arsenal are in shambles at the moment.

However, (there’s always a however) the Gunners are currently sitting in fourth place, the last UEFA Champions League qualifying spot, in the English Premier League table.

Wenger’s side have found themselves in an improbable position after starting their 2011-12 Premier League campaign with only one point out of a possible nine after drawing with Newcastle United (0-0) and losing to Liverpool (2-0) and Manchester United (8-2).

The question is, can Arsenal hang on to fourth place?

Yes, and here are three reasons why. Chelsea, Newcastle United and Liverpool.

The Blues have won just one of their last six games in all competitions. Disappointing.

The Magpies have conceded  five goals in two of their last four Premier League games. Woeful.

Liverpool have scored 29 goals in 25 Premier League matches this season, eight less than 17th place Blackburn Rovers. Poor.