Inter & Real Might As Well Forget Bidding For Van Persie

A look down the list of clubs supposedly preparing a January move for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, and you will see the likes of Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus and AC Milan. They are some of the biggest and most prestigious football clubs in Europe – but considering van Persie’s sensational form in the Premier League, their interest is hardly surprising.

Arsenal without Robin van Persie at the moment would be a disaster; his 13 goals and 4 assists this season have carried Arsenal through number of difficult games which would have been lost or drawn in his absence. Keeping hold of the Dutchman is essential. These words will therefore give something for fans to cling ahold of as the January window draws nearer:

“I am committed to Arsenal and that’s how it is.”

The words of Netherlands legend Marco van Basten will also give Arsenal hope that van Persie decides to sign a new Arsenal contract rather than move to another club.

“Robin must not leave Arsenal,” he said. “Arsenal have the most ­amazing stadium, they have a style of play, they have a ­beautiful shirt – in every way I consider Arsenal as the ­ultimate football club. It is the club where Robin belongs.”

However, a number of reports have claimed that Arsenal must prepare themselves for inevitable bids for their star striker from Inter Milan in particular, whose new manager Claudio Ranieri, is looking for stronger attacking options having seen the side score only 2 goals at home so far this season. Inter sit a place above the relegation positions and desperately need to buck their ideas up, and hope to start with a few new January signings. But would van Persie really want to leave Arsenal a side now going strong in the top half of the Premier League for Inter  a side struggling to keep their heads above the water in Serie A?

Arsene Wenger will surely not be accepting any offers for van Persie any time soon, so it is unlikely that a £25.8 million bid from Real Madrid would succeed in persuading him to rip the heartbeat from Arsenal’s squad. Madrid may interest van Persie, but it remains unlikely, especially considering his exclamations of loyalty to the London club that he will be leaving this January.

He has 18 months remaining on his contact, and at 28 is at his peak – so it is only natural the interest in him is there. Unfortunately for anyone else, Wenger’s and Arsenal’s interest in selling him is nil, so bar a miracle, you can most definitely rule out any January move for now.