Arsenal Transfer News: Manchester City Won't Avoid Robin Van Persie Bidding

Arsenal would be foolish to think that Roberto Mancini and Manchester City won't eventually come calling for their in-demand striker. They have championship momentum, tons of money and they're willing to throw it at anyone who will listen.

According to The Daily Mail, Mancini and the City brass will not add van Persie before preseason begins in a few days.

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Roberto Mancini has played down the prospect of Manchester City signing Robin van Persie from Arsenal. The Barclays Premier League champions want to add the prolific striker to their stellar line-up but Mancini admitted it is unlikely that City will sign the Dutchman before pre-season starts later this week.

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Finances and a logjam at striker force Mancini to say this, but don't be shocked if the Blues find their way into the hunt before too long. 

The Daily Mail states that Mancini would like to bring in the prolific dutch scorer for £20million, but they go on to state that it isn't possible unless Manchester City unloads one of their highest paid players.

Emanuel Adebayor seems like the most logical possibility. He's been on loan to Tottenham, and  Spurs would be smart to re-sign him. Normally I would think the Blues would want him back, but van Persie's availability changes that idea drastically. 

Mancini already has a group of strikers most managers would envy. Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko can score plenty of goals without any help from the Gunners' striker, but Manchester City's attitude has changed in recent years.

New ownership, and subsequent payroll increase, allows them to cast a net as wide as they may wish. If they want van Persie that bad, there's no reason to think they won't get him. It would damage one of their English Premier League competitors, and it would give them the league's best goal-scorer. 

One of The Blues strikers, or other high earners, can be moved. It may not happen before the start of preseason, but Mancini isn't beyond having something up his sleeve. 

Maybe he's waiting on Arsenal's big offer to come forth. Maybe he's allowing Juventus to bid itself out of the running, but he's up to something. I don't buy his disinterest at this point, and Arsenal shouldn't either. 

The Gunners already made one mistake; allowing van Persie to enter the final year of his deal could be devastating, but they must be careful not to make another. If it comes down to it, and van Persie really wants to leave, Juventus is the best choice. 

Allowing him to stay in the Premier League is a poor idea. It would be bitter enough to lose his services, but watching him score goals for another side at the Emirates Stadium would be too difficult to watch for Arsenal supporters.

Mancini is being coy right now, but don't expect it to last. Manchester City is capable of kicking the door in with a blockbuster offer.

It's just a matter of time.