Adams: Gunners out of title hunt

Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams insists the club’s failure to hold on to their best players has left them with no chance of winning the Premier League title.

Robin van Persie’s departure followed those of big-name stars Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy, and Adams said yesterday: “I never got anywhere near the last year of my contract.

“You don’t let them go into their last year and run their contract down.

“It’s about winning, and how do you win?

You have the best players, and if you keep selling your best players, you’re not going to win.

“If you sell your best players, you’re not going to challenge for titles.

“You need to keep your best players and in recent years we’ve let them go a bit easy.”

* Arsenal’s Champions League opponents tomorrow night, Schalke, lost 3-2 on Saturday to Hoffenheim.