Arsenal Transfer News: Robin van Persie Would Be Foolish to Leave Gunners

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie would be outright foolish to end his time with the Gunners in order to chase down an endless stream of cash.

According to The Daily Mirror, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is determined to keep Van Persie on board in 2012:

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We want to keep Robin van Persie at all costs, because we depend on him offensively. I have always supported him even in the hardest times, and I hope he will end his career at Arsenal.

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The 28-year-old Dutch forward has been with the club since 2004, and is currently the eighth-leading Arsenal goalscorer of all time with 132.

It would be pointless for Van Persie to give up now, as he can continue to surpass the Arsenal's greatest footballers in the record books. 

Van Persie has built a strong legacy at Arsenal over the past decade, but all of that could be coming to an end as the elite striker has yet to break ground on a contract extension with Arsenal.

According to The Mirror, Italian club Juventus have already made a run at Van Persie, but had a €10 million offer rejected.

Meanwhile, The Mirror has also reported that Premier League champions Manchester City are prepared to offer up £20 million for the striker.

It would be easy for Van Persie to follow the money to an up-and-coming club like City, but where does loyalty and legacy rank on his priority list?

Van Persie is one of the best footballers on the planet, scoring 37 goals in total for Arsenal last season in all competitions, but his public perception would be severely damaged by a move to a stronger club for more money.

Even so, it seems that Arsenal are bracing themselves for the potential departure of Van Persie next season. They have already acquired German striker Lukas Podolski, who scored 18 goals for FC Koln last season.

Regardless, there is only one direction Van Persie can take to avoid making a foolish error, and that is to extend his current deal with the Gunners, remaining loyal to Wenger and the club while keeping an impressive legacy alive all along the way.

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