Arsenal Transfer News: An Idiot's Guide to the Robin Van Persie Saga

Arsenal captain and star striker Robin van Persie is without doubt the hottest name over the summer transfer window—his name is in all the papers and all over the inter-webs.

His situation is what the transfer window is known for—speculation, conflicting reports, endless possibilities and lots of controversies—and if you haven't heard anything about him this summer, then you either don't read enough or don't have Twitter.

If you haven't heard of him, then this is the one article that you'll want to read this week as we bring you up to date with everything that has happened so far with Robin van Persie. 

What, you say? Everything?

Yes. Everything.

From the reasons behind his decision to the clubs interested in him and his most likely landing spot for next year, welcome to the most complete recap around and what we'll call, the idiot's guide to the Robin van Persie transfer saga.

Who is Robin van Persie?

Robin van Persie is a striker who plays for English club, Arsenal. He had a superb season last year for the Gunners—netting 30 goals in the English Premier League alone—and was without doubt their best player all season. Were it not for van Persie, Arsenal may well have finished outside the top four and failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League this year as a result.

The 28-year-old Dutch international made a move to Arsenal back in May 2004 from Feyenoord and is touted as one of the best signings that manager Arsene Wenger has ever made for the club—particularly given he only cost the Gunners £2.75 million.

He has battled injuries throughout his time at the Emirates, but in what could be considered as a breakout season last year, proved why he is considered one of the premier strikers in world football and worth every penny to Arsenal.

Why then would Arsenal let him go?

Simply put, they don't want to let him go. Van Persie is their captain and their top striker—as shown by last year's English Premier League performances—and know that their side will be not as strong should the Dutch international depart from the club.

They have signed two new strikers already this summer—Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud—who both will complement the Gunners attack and could turn them into a formidable force throughout England and indeed all of Europe if Van Persie remains at the club. However, without him, they will be forced to shoulder much of the attacking responsibility.

Arsenal are also reluctant to let him go given the relationship that he has formed with manager Arsene Wenger. It was Wenger that turned Van Persie into the star striker that he is today, after converting him from a left winger when he arrived at the club, and they know that should he remain at the Emirates, they can continue to grow and thrive together. 

Why would he want to leave Arsenal?

This it seems, would be the million-dollar question—both in a literal and figurative sense. Figuratively in that all questions surrounding the potential departure from Van Persie center on his decision not to sign a contract negotiation with the club at the end of next season; literally in the sense that it is ultimately all tied to money.

Speculation about a potential move from the Dutch international in fact started well before he made the decision not to sign a contract extension, providing some context that might be interesting before we look at what the 28-year-old actually said.

Let's back track all the way to February earlier this year where Arsenal bowed out of the UEFA Champions League courtesy of a 4-0 first-leg drubbing by AC Milan. Then AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke about Van Persie and made some interesting comments regarding the player's future, according to ESPN Soccernet.

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"When you don't win anything for years, people understand why you leave like Cesc Fabregas [a former Arsenal captain who'd departed the club less than a year ago]. 

"I don't know Robin [van Persie] personally, but I remember him from Holland and what a talent he was—now he is complete. I don't know what he is thinking, but I know what I would do.

"I have made a lot of moves in my life—I take it as a challenge, an adventure. And I have won eight titles in eight years with different clubs in different countries [as a result].

"If you stay in one place all your life, it is easy to play football. You are at home, you are in the comfort zone. But if you move to five different places, it is a real test. If you succeed, that's where you become a real champion—that's when you get more respect..."

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Now whilst I'm not suggesting that Van Persie did—or should ever—take career advice from the enigmatic Ibrahimovic, his comments about the need to move on if you are not winning titles are particularly interesting when we look at what the striker said regarding his future.

In a statement released on his own official website, the Gunners captain broke the news to fans and football followers around the world that he would not be resigning with the club at the end of next season when his contract expires. 

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"I personally have had a great season but my goal has been to win trophies with the team and to bring the club back to its glory days. Out of my huge respect for Mr. Wenger, the players and the fans I don’t want to go into any details, but unfortunately in this meeting it has again become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward.

"I’ve thought long and hard about it, but I have decided not to extend my contract. You guys, the fans, have of course the right to disagree with my view and decision and I will always respect your opinions.

"I love the club and the fans, no matter what happens. I have grown up and became a man during my time with Arsenal FC. Everybody at the club and the fans have always supported me over the years and I have always given my all (and more) on and off the pitch. I am very proud of being part of this fantastic club for the last 8 years..."

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There it is again—the desire to win titles is what apparently is driving Van Persie's decision to leave the club. He feels that the club is not "moving forward" in the way that he desires and as a result, does not want to commit to the Gunners long-term.

Bleacher Report's I.J. Yarison highlights brilliantly in his column about the saga that:

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[Van Persie's] so-called ambition, which is being branded about, is merely a euphemism for money. 

When, therefore, Van Persie implies that Arsenal lack ambition, it is only to the extent that they cannot afford to pay him the same kind of money he could earn elsewhere, at places like Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid, where either the personal money of a patron would service the salary or a loan would do so.

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Thus we have the desire to win trophies and the desire to receive the financial payment that he feels he deserves a world-class striker as a result. Both are driving the Dutch international's decision not to resign with the club, for he believes that he has a better chance of picking up a trophy at another club than he does at Arsenal.

Which, considering his Premier League Golden Boot Award was the only piece of silverware that arrived at the Emirates last season, might well be justified.

If he was to go, where would he go?

The question then becomes as to where Van Persie will go, should he depart the club over the summer transfer window.

We must first remember that his contract expires at the end of the upcoming season, meaning that he still has 12 months or so at Arsenal before he is a free-agent. However, with a move inevitable, the Gunners might be better served seeing whether they can get a club to buy Van Persie off them over this year's transfer window so that they get some financial compensation from a move that, really, is going to happen anyway—this year or the next.

Herein lies the dilemma—Arsenal will sell the 28-year-old for the right price, but will more than happily keep him for the upcoming Premier League season. He is not, necessarily, leaving the club in the next few weeks, though it is a real possibility, according to BBC Sport.

Let us explore then the possible destinations for Van Persie, and it seems that there are four possible clubs that he could be playing for next season—English Premier League giants Manchester United and Manchester City, Italian champions Juventus and of course, Arsenal.

All four clubs have their attractions and reasons as to why they would be best suited for Van Persie, but at the same time, they all have their downsides. Let's explore these four clubs to see which one is actually most likely to see Van Persie playing for them next season.

Robin van Persie to Juventus?

Let's start off with Italian champions Juventus, who have been interested in signing the Gunners striker for several months now after making him their top priority of the summer transfer window. The club's general manager, Guiseppe Marotta confirmed this, stating via Goal.com that:

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"[Robin] van Persie is a fan's dream. Everyone has dreams but then you have to confront them with the reality. We know what we have to do, and that is the important thing..."

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Following that statement a few weeks later was a report in The Daily Mirror that suggested the Italian champions were indeed the favorites to land the striker, with one of the more fascinating links taking place—see if you can pick it up.

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The Serie A champions are in pole position, ahead of both Manchester clubs, and are growing in confidence that they can sign the want-away Arsenal captain.

Juve want a stellar signing to boost their standing in Europe and had had one rock-bottom bid knocked back, but will come back with more and are ready to pay him £180,000-a-week. The club have already made significant inroads as they have been courting him and his representatives for months.

A source close to the deal said: “The Premier League is not the be all and end all, like it might for an English player. Van Persie is Dutch, has a different mindset and other big players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic have had good careers in Italy...”

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Most likely just coincidence that his name appears mentioned in the article as a potential player that Van Persie is modeling his life on, but interesting that perhaps Ibra's comments back in February could have had an impact on his decision not to resign with Arsenal after all.

The positives for the club as a landing designation are simple—they are not a direct rival to Arsenal like Manchester United or Manchester City are. They are an Italian club, and are unlikely to play against Arsenal except for a matchup in the UEFA Champions League.

They therefore represent a great opportunity for the Dutch international to escape the English Premier League and the criticisms that would no doubt follow him should he remain in the competition. The striker's father has commented that his son is not going to sign with an English club other than Arsenal—opening the door for Juventus to land the striker.

The downside for Juventus is the money—they simply cannot offer Arsenal what the likes of Manchester City and United can. Following their match-fixing scandal, the club does not have the funds available to offer a figure likely to entice Arsenal selling the striker.

After having an earlier move for the striker rebuffed by the club, Juventus are believed to be back with a new deal, according to The Telegraph:

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Juventus are preparing a second bid for Robin van Persie which, significantly, will be close to the £20 million threshold set by Arsenal.

Juventus are also prepared to make Van Persie the highest paid player in their history, with wages of around £190,000 per-week on a potential five year deal.

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Even should the bid mentioned above take place, it is still most likely to be less than what the Manchester clubs can offer for the striker. Which, remembering that money was a driving factor behind the decision not to resign, could see the striker snub a move to the Italian champions.

Robin van Persie to Manchester City?

As mentioned, Manchester City are believed to be in the best position to land the star striker given their strong financial backing and history of paying large transfer fees. The Gunners—according to The Daily Mail—are believed to want closer to £30 million for the striker, which could play into the Citizens' hands.

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s determination to extract the maximum fee for the player could re-open the door for champions Manchester City to push their interest in the player.

[Club manager Roberto] Mancini is understood to be incensed that City have not done more than join United and Juventus in making a modest opening offer for the Dutchman. He wanted a clear signal from club to player that City value Van Persie more highly than their rivals and will do anything to secure his services. 

The City boss has grown frustrated at what he sees as a lack of decisive activity in the transfer market and has demanded that the club are not beaten to Van Persie’s signature by bitter rivals United.

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Manchester City could most likely meet the £190,000 per-week that Juventus are offering without too much hassle—leaving the transfer fee as the thing that separates them from the Italian club. Roberto Mancini, backed by Sheikh Mansour, can simply offer far more to Arsenal that Juventus can—potentially enough to force the Gunners to sell their star striker.

What could not be in the Citizens' favor is the depth they already have in attack, and especially in the striker's role, with Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli all world-class strikers currently at the club. This could potentially deter a move by Van Persie—viewing the three strikers as potential competition to his starting position.

Having said that, given Manchester City's strong striker group, the addition of another world-class striker would not impact the club and their formation in the same manner that it would Manchester United—which we'll get to shortly. This could work in their favor.

For me, Manchester City are the favorites to land Van Persie and rightly so. They are a good fit for the striker and don't have the history with Arsenal that Manchester United do but most importantly, they can offer the striker and club enough money to make the move worthwhile.

Robin van Persie to Manchester United?

The third club rumored to be interested in signing Van Persie over the summer transfer window is English Premier League giants Manchester United, with legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson believed to see the striker as a potential target for the club, according to MUTV.com.

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"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..."

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As hinted at above, the addition of Van Persie to the Red Devils would not be a seamless one, with the club needing to make some key adjustments to work the striker into their starting lineup. The addition of Shinji Kagawa into United's midfield meant that a 4-4-1-1 formation was likely for the upcoming season, though there is simply no way a 4-4-1-1 formation can work with Kagawa, Van Persie and Wayne Rooney.

Thus United would most likely be forced back to a 4-4-2 formation—potentially exposing defensively due to the lack of defensive assistance in midfield. It would also mean that English international striker Danny Welbeck and the ever-improving Javier Hernandez would both be relegated to substitution roles next season.

Having said that, there is still hope for United, with reports emerging that Van Persie favors a move to Old Trafford ahead of both Juventus and Manchester City. The latest via The People (h/t Tribal Football) states that:

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Arsenal rebel Robin van Persie wants a move to Manchester United ahead of Manchester City.

Van Perise's preference is believed to be Old Trafford, where he believes he'll get far more game time than at City, as Roberto Mancini is already overloaded with strikers. Manicni is desperate to stop Van Perise joining United but last night Sir Alex Ferguson appeared to be in pole position.

Ferguson thinks signing Van Persie would give United a great chance of reclaiming the title [from Manchester City] and is excited by the prospect of having four top strikers—Van Perise, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.

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It is believed that for Manchester United to sign the Dutch international, they would need to pay close to the record £30.75 million they paid Tottenham Hotspur for Dimitar Berbatov four years ago. The Daily Mail reports that United would need to offer around £30 million to entice Arsenal into selling the striker to one of their main Premier League rivals.

Robin van Persie to stay at Arsenal?

The last landing destination for Van Persie is that of his current club, Arsenal, who must not be counted out as a possible home for the striker this season. With his relationship with Arsene Wenger and the club desperate to keep him for next season, we could still well see the 28-year-old don the Gunners strip for the upcoming year. 

Arsene Wenger spoke via BBC Sports:

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"[Robin] van Persie is a world-class striker and I am a big supporter of him. I have supported him through his whole career.

"He has one year left and is in demand but our desire is to keep him. However, we will do what is in the best interests of the club. If you have a decoder in your head, you can decode that..."

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Whilst I might not have a decoder that Wenger is referring to, essentially what is saying is that their first priority is to keep Van Persie this summer. He is their star striker and the player most likely to bring them domestic and European success this summer—they naturally want him in their starting lineup for as long as possible.

However, if they think that they will be better served by selling Van Persie this summer, they will do so for the right price. They must receive enough financial incentive into selling their best player, and simply will not sell him if they do not receive the incentive to do so.

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What moves have taken place so far for Van Persie?

Well, then, with all those options available to the striker, what moves have been made for Van Persie? Which club has tabled an offer for the striker that could force Arsenal to the point of sale?

None.

The offers that have been put forward and subsequently have all been below the reported baseline £20 million that Arsenal are willing to consider, but as we know, that figure is most likely closer to £30 million.

All three clubs are believed to be putting together offers that are more likely to tempt Arsenal to sell the striker, though don't be surprised if we don't see a real offer for Van Persie until the summer transfer draws to a close.

What will the final outcome be?

What, therefore, will the final result be—will Robin van Persie remain at Arsenal next season or will he end up moving to another club over the summer transfer window? How much will Arsenal get for him should he move and where would he move to?

First off, I'm willing to rule out Juventus. 

Based on their current financial situation, there is no way that they can compete with Manchester City and Manchester United. If Van Persie were a free-agent, I think they would stand a much better chance of landing the striker than they do now, given the fact they offer him a new challenge and chance to escape the English Premier League.

Which means it's all down to three English Premier League clubs.

Manchester United and Manchester City would both need to offer near enough to £30 million for Arsenal to sell, and I can't see United coughing up the money for a striker that in reality, doesn't fit with their current squad and plans for the upcoming season. 

United depth in midfield, not in the striker's position and it is unlike Sir Alex Ferguson to spend big money stocking up a position that he is already strong in. So to make a call, I say no to Manchester United also.

If Manchester City offer upwards of £30 million, then he will go there. If they don't—if they offer £25 or £28 million, then I can't see it happening. 

Arsenal will receive lots of money and financial assistance should they quality for the UEFA Champions League next season—something they will only achieve if they finish top-four in the English Premier League or win the Champions League this season. And for both of those things, they'll need Robin van Persie.

Thus Van Persie is indeed worth £30 million to Arsenal just this season alone in terms of the financial assistance and status he can bring them. Arsenal will do everything to keep the striker and back themselves to convince him over the upcoming 11 months to remain at the Emirates.

For if you can't find the answer, always buy yourself some time to come up with the answer. It works with my girlfriend from time to time, and it might just work with Van Persie.

After all, Arsenal don't have too many other options.

Thanks to all the readers who took the time to read this short book.

Hopefully it has helped you better understand the Robin van Persie transfer saga—why it happened and what will happen from here.

I'd love your feedback and opinions, so comment below or: Follow @dantalintyre