Arsene Wenger claims Man Utd and Man City yet to bid for Robin van Persie

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by Crunch Sports Staff

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Arsene Wenger (credit: Ed Jones/AFP/GettyImages)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed the club have received NO offers for captain Robin van Persie.

Manchester City, rivals Manchester United, and Italian champions Juventus are all believed to have tabled bids for Van Persie last week after he announced he had no plans to sign a new contract at Arsenal.

Van Persie, who has not joined his Arsenal team-mates on their tour of the Far East after being left behind in London to work in his fitness, is entering the final twelve months of his existing deal at Emirates Stadium.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had last week stated the club had made a bid for the 28-year-old, and was less than happy that their interest had been made public, telling MUTV: "Obviously Arsenal have given out the fact that we've made a bid for him.

"We try to keep business as close as possible to us until the moment we conclude a deal. There's no point talking about something that might not happen.

"There are other clubs interested in the player. We've shown an interest and that's where we're at at the moment."

But after seeing his side lose 2-0 to Man City in China on Friday, Wenger blasted reporters for asking about the Netherlands international.

"The Van Persie case doesn’t cross my mind," said the Frenchman, before claiming: "We have had no offers.

"He is close to fitness, of course, but we have not had any contact [from City or United] about him at all.

"We will not come back forever on Van Persie, We have many strikers at home. Van Persie is one of them, but we also have [Lukas] Podolski and [Olivier] Giroud.

"For now, we must prepare for the season and it is about more than one player."

Wenger was further questioned about his skipper and the bids widely believed to have been made last week by three clubs.

"We have talked about Van Persie," Wenger was quoted by the Daily Telegraph as saying.

"We have just played a football game tonight, there are four English people here and there have been four questions about Van Persie.

"I have talked about that, I am not talking about that question anymore. Do you understand?

"If you understand and respect what I said, then why do you ask me again?"

Before the game, City manager Roberto Mancini had on Thursday as good as accused his club's hierarchy of dragging their heels over new signings.

But speaking after the win over Arsenal, the Italian suggested Wenger was right and that the Premier League champions were yet to make an offer.

"No, I don’t think [we have made an offer]," said Mancini.

"If Wenger said this, I think it is true. Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the world, so it is difficult to buy him."

Juventus on Friday appeared to have cooled their interest in the Dutchman (see Related Articles).

At time of writing, United are favourites with bookmakers Sky Bet to win the race to sign Van Persie, ahead of Juventus, and City.

AC Milan, Barcelona, and Real Madrid have also shown interest in the forward.

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