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28 March 2024

Wenger fears losing Arsenal star Van Persie

Arsenal's Robin van Persie scored 37 goals in all competitions last season. (FILE)

Published
By Staff

Arsene Wenger says he wants to keep Arsenal captain Robin van Persie at any cost.

Italian champions Juventus have made their interest clear, while Premier League winners Manchester City are said to be ready to put down a £20 million offer with more than £200,000-per-week wages for the Holland striker.

Van Persie is on holiday after a disappointing Euro 2012, but is planning on crunch contract talks with Wenger by phone this week.

“We need to keep Robin van Persie at all costs because we depend on him offensively,” the Gunners boss was quoted as saying in several British newspapers.

The Gunners have already moved to bring in fresh faces Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski, but they have yet to convince Van Persie to extend his contract past next summer.
 
He has already made it clear he will not sign the new £130,000-a-week, three-year contract the Gunners are offering.

The Gunners boss is ready to smash his pay structure to stop his captain moving to Manchester City.
 
Writing in his blog for Eurosport, Wenger added: “I’ve always supported him, even in the hardest of times.

"Now I hope he’ll end his career at Arsenal.”

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood said: “We are not in the remotest bit interested in selling him.”

Wenger, who turned down an approach from France following boss Laurent Blanc’s resignation, hopes the signing of £13 million Montpellier striker Giroud will help convince Van Persie to stay.

He said: “Giroud is intelligent and dangerous.”

Giroud scored 21 goals in 36 league appearances as Montpellier claimed their first Ligue 1 title last season.
 
"I have known Olivier Giroud for some time," added the Frenchman who worked as a media pundit at the European Championship.
 
"The first time I saw him, I found he had something intelligent and dangerous. I always said he could score goals and assist his partners.

"Our game is based on cooperation between the players in the offensive phase and he will integrate easily.
 
"I don't like simple goalscorers, they must also add to the collective.
 
"He is good in the air which is rare. He is quite complete and has a great room for improvement."