Man United to Up Bid for Van Persie

Manchester United are preparing to increase their offer for Arsenal's uncommitted striker Robin van Persie, despite an understandable reluctance to spend too much of their transfer budget on an ageing attacker with temperamental injury troubles.

Arsenal and United's valuation of the 29 year-old Dutchman are relatively far apart, with United's original offer of £12 million being rejected by Arsene Wenger, who favours a more substantial fee of £30 million.

Ferguson believes that upping Manchester United's bid to something closer to £20 million will persuade Wenger to let go of his star striker due to van Persie's willingness to depart the Emirates as well as his diminishing contract.

The two clubs held talks on Tuesday night about the deal and are reportedly close to an agreement, with Ferguson speaking directly with Wenger earlier in the week to attempt to speed up proceedings.

Whilst van Persie is not a typical United signing - being someone with no re-sale value due to his age - it is an opportunity which Ferguson seems determined to take. He has already added a striker to his squad in the form of Ángelo Henríquez from Universidad de Chile for a fee of around £4 million who completed his medical yesterday.

Sir Alex is hoping to get any deal done by the time the new season starts, and perhaps van Persie may also share that hope, with booing directed towards him expected at the Emirates in Arsenal's season opener on Saturday against Sunderland.

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Watch: Van Persie Goal vs Stoke

Arsenal drew their second League game in a row thanks to a Robin van Persie goal against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium, to draw four points clear in third place of Newcastle United, who lost by four goals away to Wigan Athletic.

It was Arsenal's second point from their last three games having been defeated by Wigan themselves on the 16th and drawing level with Chelsea last week, but third place remains in their hands.

Van Persie scored his 28th League goal of the season to secure the draw, but Arsenal were unable to add to his 15 minute equalizer. Watch his goal below:

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Van Persie Talks - Walcott Finished

Arsenal may not have been able to score on Saturday against Chelsea, but if they were to have hit the back of the net, the source of the goal would have most likely been from a certain Robin van Persie, whose 27 League goals this season places him at the top of the Premier League goalscorers list.

It is that incredible tally of vitally important goals and inspirational form this season which piles added pressure on Arsenal to keep their captain at the club this summer, amidst speculation of several interested clubs, readying huge offers to persuade the Dutchman away from London.

With 12 months left on his Arsenal contract, van Persie is yet to agree an extension on his deal, leaving his future in a fragile position. The last thing Arsene Wenger wants is his best and most important player leaving for a second summer in a row.

Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas left the club last summer, and Wenger will do his utmost to avoid a repetition of such events this time around, saying that the Arsenal strikers' future will be dealt with before the start of the Euro 2012 competition: "Robin’s future will be sorted at the end of the season. Before the Euros."

On the other hand, Arsenal's second highest scorer this season Theo Walcott, is quite certain of his immediate future. He will miss the remainder of the club season with a "serious" hamstring injury and will be out for a minimum of 21 days, meaning he is unlikely to play again for Arsenal, whose season ends at West Brom on the 13th May. Wenger said:

"It looks like a serious hamstring. I think now for him it will be tough to come back before the end of the season."It is usually 21 days [minimum]. He should be OK to play for England."

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Arsenal Face Big January Bids for Van Persie

A look down the list of clubs supposedly preparing a January move for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, and you will see the likes of Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus and AC Milan. They are some of the biggest and most prestigious football clubs in Europe - but considering van Persie's sensational form in the Premier League, their interest is hardly surprising.

Arsenal without Robin van Persie at the moment would be a disaster; his 13 goals and 4 assists this season have carried Arsenal through number of difficult games which would have been lost or drawn in his absence. Keeping hold of the Dutchman is essential. These words will therefore give something for fans to cling ahold of as the January window draws nearer: "I am committed to Arsenal and that's how it is."

The words of Netherlands legend Marco van Basten will also give Arsenal hope that van Persie decides to sign a new Arsenal contract rather than move to another club. "Robin must not leave Arsenal," he said. "Arsenal have the most ­amazing stadium, they have a style of play, they have a ­beautiful shirt – in every way I consider Arsenal as the ­ultimate football club. It is the club where Robin belongs."

However, a number of reports have claimed that Arsenal must prepare themselves for inevitable bids for their star striker from Inter Milan in particular, whose new manager Claudio Ranieri, is looking for stronger attacking options having seen the side score only 2 goals at home so far this season. Inter sit a place above the relegation positions and desperately need to buck their ideas up, and hope to start with a few new January signings. But would van Persie really want to leave Arsenal  a side now going strong in the top half of the Premier League for Inter  a side struggling to keep their heads above the water in Serie A?

Arsene Wenger will surely not be accepting any offers for van Persie any time soon, so it is unlikely that a £25.8 million bid from Real Madrid would succeed in persuading him to rip the heartbeat from Arsenal's squad. Madrid may interest van Persie, but it remains unlikely, especially considering his exclamations of loyalty to the London club that he will be leaving this January.

He has 18 months remaining on his contact, and at 28 is at his peak - so it is only natural the interest in him is there. Unfortunately for anyone else, Wenger's and Arsenal's interest in selling him is nil, so bar a miracle, you can most definitely rule out any January move for now.

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Robin van Persie Wants Arsenal To Maintain Concentration

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has warned the club to remain focused if they are to beat local rivals Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night.

The Gunners missed a golden chance to close the gap on Manchester United by conceding a late penalty to draw with Liverpool at the weekend.

Holland striker Van Persie declared that throwing away winning positions must be stopped if the Gunners are to stay in touch with United ahead of their May 1 showdown at Emirates Stadium.

Van Persie told Arsenal TV Online : “This has happened too often, in my opinion,”.

“If you look at our history, when we are in front, when we are safe, when we have the three points in our pocket, we do concede goals.

“Some of them are silly goals, which we have to work on.

“We have to stay positive, but we really have to look at it because it is almost criminal to give away points like that.”

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