Arsenal Transfer News: Robin Van Persie Suitors Shrinking with Barca Rejection

While talks between Arsenal and their captain Robin van Persie have stalled, potential big-name suitors have fallen by the wayside.

Yesterday, Goal.com revealed the price for the Premier League's top scorer was too much for Italian giants Juventus, and today the site reveals Barcelona has rejected the opportunity to try and sign the 28-year-old Dutchman.

Arsene Wenger and the Gunners would love to solidify their position with their captain before he joins his country for Euro 2012, but that seems terribly unlikely.

With the two European powers pulling out, and Real Madrid still quiet on the matter, it leaves the North London club fending off only Premier League rivals Manchester City and Manchester United.

According to the Daily Mirror, City are preparing a £25m swoop with an offer of £250,000-a-week, and United are willing to match that. Where RVP fits in with the loaded Red Devils remains to be seen, but City are set to offload both Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko.

Those offers are well over Arsenal's of £130,000-a-week contract and £5m signing-on fee.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claims he won't sell his talismanic striker, but he said the same thing a year ago about Cesc Fabregas before selling him to Barcelona.

The longtime Arsenal boss maintains he'd rather see him go in a year's time for free than sell him off for £20-plus this year.

The speculated reason for Barca's rejection is the combination of RVP's age (he'll be 29 years old in August) and his fees.

Barca and Man United have younger goal scorers already in house, but the recently-crowned Premier League champions are clearing room for a big move up top.

It's good news for Arsenal that Juve and Barca are out of the way, but their biggest competition for their captain is, and always will be, Manchester City.

At least Wenger knows what he's up against.