Arsenal FC manager Arsene Wenger wants Robin van Persie to stay

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by Crunch Sports Staff

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Arsene Wenger (credit: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has re-iterated his desire to keep Robin van Persie at the club after rejecting bids from Manchester United, Man City, and Juventus.

Van Persie is out of contract at the end of next season and recently announced he does not plan to sign a new deal at Emirates Stadium.

Both Manchester clubs, along with Italian champions Juventus, have this week tabled bids for the 28-year-old, while the likes of AC Milan, Barcelona, and Real Madrid have also shown interest.

Van Persie will miss the club's pre-season tour of Asia, which the club insist is so he can work on his fitness, and Wenger insists he wants his captain to stay at the club.

"For me, Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the world, if not the best, and my desire is to keep him at the Club," Wenger told the club's official website.

"As for the rest I will do what is in the best interests of Arsenal Football Club. That, at the moment, is where we are. There is not a lot more to say than that."

The Frenchman admits, however, that the saga could affect his side’s start to the new Premier League season.

"Robin was an exceptional leader last year," he said. "But we know how much we had to fight to come third because we missed out the start of the season.

"After seven games we had lost four and we have learned that for us it is vital for us to focus on the start of the season rather than on any transfers.

"If the transfers happen, they happen. As long as you are at the Club you give your best for the Club and that is the only pride you can have as a football player and as a manager.

"As long as you are somewhere you give your best every day for that club. If it changes, it changes. I am convinced that Robin is like that, he is completely focused every day on his job. He loves football, he loves the game and as long as he is here he will do that."

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