ARSENAL ARE confident that Juventus’s attempt to sign Robin van Persie this summer will be deflected after the Italian champions became the first club to publicly express an interest in securing the Netherlands international’s services at the end of the season.
Van Persie, recently named the Professional Footballers’ Association and Football Writers’ player of the year, will discuss his future with Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, after the conclusion of the campaign.
The Dutchman is out of contract in the summer of 2013 and, although he is not agitating for a move, is expected to be offered a four-year contract to remain at the Emirates. The deal would break the club’s current wage structure and include a substantial signing-on fee as Arsenal seek to ensure he does not depart for nothing under the Bosman ruling next summer.
A number of major clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, have been monitoring Van Persie’s situation and could test Arsenal’s resolve to hold the 28-year-old striker to the final year of his contract this summer. Juventus, who would also expect to compete with Paris St-Germain, Milan and Internazionale, have expressed their admiration for the forward.
Giuseppe Marotta, Juve's general director, told the Italian website calciomercato.com: "Van Persie is a great player. He is a complete player and would be useful to any team. But he still has one year left on his contract with Arsenal. We will try to put the icing on the cake this summer but the important thing is that the mix is good."
Van Persie, who has 30 Premier League goals this term, is not thought to be keen on moving to Italy, with his instinct to remain at Arsenal for at least one more season, encouraged as he has been by the signing of Lukas Podolski from Koln for €13.5 million, with the promise of further ambitious transfers to come.
Only the tantalising offer of a potential move to either Real or Barca would test that commitment, though, even then the London club would need to sanction any departure given the player remains under contract. That, at present, seems unlikely, with Wenger apparently under no pressure from on high to sell.
The Arsenal manager and Gazidis intend to speak with Van Persie before the start of Euro 2012 – the Netherlands squad begin their preparations for the tournament late next week – as they continue to plan for next season in the hope that Champions League football will be secured in Sunday’s final match at West Bromwich Albion.
Interest is retained in the Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila, though a deal has yet to be agreed with the French club and the player, who has also been courted by Inter.
Yaya Toure, meanwhile, has suggested that Manchester City can rely on him in their quest for success only in the immediate future after the Ivorian admitted he would like to return to Barcelona one day.
Toure joined City in the summer of 2010 and, at 28, the midfielder may not have too much time to have his wish and again play for the Catalan club with whom he won the Champions League in 2009.“I love Barcelona. In the press conference I did when I left I said I would return. In life you never know what will happen tomorrow, it’s been the team of my life and I would like to finish my sporting career [there]. If I could return, it would be great.”
Guardian Service
