Arsenal FC captain Robin van Persie a £30m target for Man City - report


Robin van Persie(credit: Ryu Voelkel)
Crunch Sports Staff - 25 Sep 2011
Manchester City are reportedly preparing to make a £30million bid for Arsenal captain Robin van Persie if contract talks go nowhere before January.

Van Persie is one of several Arsenal stars who will have one year left on their contracts at the end of the season and the north London club could be forced to sell if a new deal is not agreed.

Reports over the summer had suggested the Netherlands international was upset at seeing the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri leave the club, and it had been rumoured that he was ready to quit the Emirates unless manager Arsene Wenger brought in replacements.

Van Persie had been linked with the likes of Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid towards the end of last season.

But according to the Mail on Sunday, City - who snapped up contract rebel Nasri last month in a £24m deal - are ready to swoop for the Dutchman if he fails to agree a new contract before the transfer window opens in the New Year.

Speaking on Saturday after the Premier League win at home to Bolton, Wenger said of the striker: "He has grown well into the captain's role.

"He is a man who speaks his mind and is doing the job well."

Theo Walcott, Thomas Vermaelen and Andrei Arshavin are in similar contract situations to Van Persie, and the Gunners are thought to be preparing to open talks with both Walcott and Vermaelen very soon.

But before the Bolton game, Wenger had admitted that there was a chance that he could lose some of his top players next summer.

"Our desire is there to convince them to stay," said the Frenchman.

"We tried before and the financial gap on that front has become bigger for us.

"I cannot say that if we go to our maximum wage that we are sure to sign a player."

These odds clubs they want render us impotent. That's not going to be possible. Thanks that Van never accepted the offer