Lansbury Deal is Huge News

We've spoken on here a few times this preseason about the whole Lansbury saga about will he won't he sign a new deal. Now he has its closure of a certain degree.

Lansbury has signed a three year deal. Although this doesn't guarantee he is staying long term it reduces that need that if he won't sign, to now sell for maximum value this season. It potentially also adds more to his value this summer, and reduces that whole pay imbalance.

However, what's telling me is that it's essentially just a year extension to his present deal, but with a hefty pay rise one assumes. This isn't a 4-5 year deal, it's 3 year.

Lansbury at his age is on the cusp of wanting to prove himself. For me this proves a one year extension not necessarily to his contract, but to when we will sell him.

It's like he's said to us, one more year, if we do it excellent; if we don't then if he leaves then we still get a good price. It goes that far that wouldn't be surprised to hear there's a gentleman's agreement that if we don't go up, he will leave.

That would help both. There's no doubt Henri is happy here, so he doesn't have to go to a Northern hell hole like Burnley for a pay rise. He will shine at this level. There's a risk that in a poor side Lansbury might not shine and has to come back to Championship. Having a full year of quality showings will make him look better, and being aged 24 at arguably his peak, his value will peak.

So instead of hanging on to him for a year, and if we didn't go up, selling him for £1.5mill before his value truly plummets, and him potentially being unhappy. Now he is happier, and we have a valuable asset still, with his value intact.

And most of that is off the field. On the field is bigger news. He is a midfield talisman. Wonderful players, one of the few who will try from huge range and look like scoring. Lansbury can drive that midfield; he is one the Championship's best players. His Arsenal education shines through in his play.

And more to the point it’s a sign of ambition. It's a sign of players believing we are going places. They want to buy in to what's happening. They want to be part of it. This excites me. The club feels truly united.