Arsenal play Borussia Dortmund tonight. In recent summers, both clubs became entangled in long-drawn sagas surrounding their star strikers. For Arsenal, it was Robin van Persie in 2012; for Dortmund, Robert Lewandowksi in 2013.

The situations were almost symmetrical. Both players expressed a desire to leave their respective clubs, both had just enjoyed incredible seasons, and both had one year left on their contracts. But the way the clubs dealt with the situations couldn't have been more different.

Arsenal cashed in and sold for £24 million to Manchester United, while Dortmund kept Lewandowski, missing out on what would've been, no doubt, a large transfer fee. The Polish striker is expected to leave on a Bosman next year.

This may seem churlish, and entirely pointless due to the fact nothing can be changed - what's done is done - but Dortmund's dealing of the situation was, in my opinion, better than Arsenal's.

Since Dortmund told Lewandowski he's staying at the Signal Iduna Park for at least another year, he's put his head down and scored goals - nine hitherto this season, to be precise. Following his saga, RvP also scored bountiful goals, but for Manchester United.

There are those who'll say Arsenal benefited more than the German club by attracting a decent transfer fee for a player with a year left on his deal, but I disagree. Theoretically, had Van Persie scored the same number of goals he did for United (30 in all competitions) for Arsenal last season, the financial rewards probably would've been greater than £24 million. Who's to say his goals wouldn't have fired us to European or domestic cup glory? We could have pocketed massive money from making serious progress in certain competitions. And what if Arsenal had missed out on Champions League qualification and its consequent mega bucks? The Champions League is a lucrative source of funds for Arsenal, who, according to Swiss Ramble, earned €31 million in 2012-13 from the TV distribution alone. 

Would we, as fans, be more content to have £24 million in the bank and play in the Europa League (this season) than to enjoy Champions League football and the revenue that comes with it? Money in the bank doesn't score you goals, make assists or keep clean sheets. Van Persie's contribution may have yielded trophies; it may have given us the extra push over the line. It may also have ensured we didn't need to wait till the last day of the season to confirm a top four finish.

As a rule, you don't sell your star, wantaway striker when he has a year left on his contract. (And certainly not to a club in the same league.) You tell him to get his head down and do his job; you use him for that last year. Nowadays in football it is often forgotten who the employer is and who the employee is; player power is at an all-time high. Good players (can) hold their clubs over a barrel with regard to contract and transfer negotiations. 

Wenger should've told Van Persie at the beginning of pre-season last year that either he works hard and gives his all and plays in the first team, or he's simply dropped to the reserves. And it's more than reasonable to assume that Robin would've chosen option A, as he would've sought to impress future suitors and gain as remunerative a deal as possible - something he wouldn't have done had he been in the reserves. Lewandowski's form this season is proof that even when a player isn't at all keen on staying at his club, he can and desires still to do a job.

Lewandowski has revealed to the press what Dortmund told him, and clearly he's complied. And yes, he's probably off to Bayern Munich or somewhere next summer. But his goals this season could prove invaluable. What if he wins them the league? Or Champions League? Will any Dortmund fan have preferred getting an extra £20 million the previous summer instead?!

So, again, I may be pointlessly whining and sulking - like a kid after his ice cream's dropped on the ground - but I believe we must learn from Dortmund's management of the tricky situation Lewandowski presented them with. We're likely to find ourselves in the same position again some day: a key player, who wants away, with a year left to run on his contract. For the future, I hope Arsenal take a leaf out of Dortmund's book.