Bergkamp may play for another season

19/11/2004 - 07:18:17
Arsenal’s Dutch star Dennis Bergkamp has admitted he may play on for another season instead of retiring.

Bergkamp will have been at Highbury for 10 years at the end of the season and due a testimonial for his services to the Londoners.

But Bergkamp says being showered with such an honour would definitely mean the end of his Arsenal career which he has already lengthened longer than he intended.

However, the Dutchman is pondering staying on for a further year and given his current form, that is something Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger would relish.

Bergkamp said: “In Holland we are not familiar with testimonials, so I will look into it before I decide what to do, but I am sure there will be something at some stage. However, it is not on my mind at the moment.

“If everything goes well this season I might even think about playing another season. That’s more in my thoughts at the moment and anyway in my mind, having a testimonial would mean that’s the end.

“I will have been here 10 years at the end of the season and in that whole time there have only been one or two moments when I thought ‘maybe it’s time to move to do something else’.

“The way we’ve been playing is one of the big reasons why I wanted to carry on last season. You would be crazy to step away from this if you can still do it.”

Tomorrow’s opponents are West Brom, whose striker Kanu is engaged in a battle to be fit to face his former club.

Kanu is suffering from a groin strain which threatens to rule him out of an emotional return to Highbury, where he spent four years of his career.

He said: “It will be nice to go back there and see a lot of old friends, but I am struggling at the moment.

“I spoke to some of the Arsenal boys and told them I wouldn’t be there because I was injured, which they laughed at.

“But I hope I will see them there tomorrow. If I go back to Highbury it will be something special for me.”