by Isi Esene

Arsenal’s coach, Arsene Wenger has hinted that Cameroonian defensive midfielder, Alex Song, might be the next player heading out of the club exit door.

Arsenal fans were jolted on Wednesday when their high-scoring star-striker, Robin van Persie agreed to sign for the club’s premier league rivals, Manchester United.

When asked yesterday about the possibility of more signings for the club or the departure of Song from the London club, Wenger told reporters that “Both can happen.”

Song, 24, first joined the club on loan as a 17-year-old from a French club, Bastia.

Meanwhile, Wenger confirmed that Thomas Vermaelen will replace Van Persie as Arsenal captain this season.

“The new captain is Vermaelen and [the vice-captain is] Mikel Arteta,” he said.

“We have many potential captains in this team.”

While ruing the loss of Van Persie to the Manchester club, Wenger said, “It’s never great to lose players of that quality but he only had a year contract so we do not have a choice.”

He added that he would have wanted the player abroad rather than have him competing with Arsenal week-in-week-out.

He said, “I’d have preferred to sell him abroad, to PSG [Paris St-Germain], for example, over Manchester United.”

The coming premiership season promises to be one to watch out for.