Arsenal will be holding on to 28 year old Abou Diaby whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season. Wenger looks to have found the perfect compromise for both Diaby and the club. According to the Daily Express, the midfielder will be getting a pay as you play deal meaning he will be kept at the Emirates but will not get paid unless he proves worthy of playing. It will be a difficult time for Diaby, but it looks like his best option right now. It is very unlikely he will be able to find a new team given his incredibly dark record when it comes to injuries. In the last 4 seasons he has only managed to make 22 appearances. Since signing with the Gunners he suffered 42 injuries spending most of his time on the bench or recovering.

Even though he finally played a game for Arsenal’s U21 team, he is far from being fit or ready to take on the challenge that is the Premier League. Despite Wenger’s player shortage, Diaby is not even a third option right now. He will need a lot of time to get back on track just as he did the previous times. Arsenal are making the right choice by giving him a hand but at the same time refusing to extend his contract. Wenger’s commitment towards Diaby is more than impressive considering the fact that very few managers would have kept such a fragile player around for so long. The Frenchman has been with the club since 2006 and spent almost 1300 days out injured. That adds up to almost three and a ½ years not playing. Having the chance to get a pay as you play deal with Arsenal is surely something he should consider.