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Wenger - I want to keep RVP

Image: Robin van Persie: Will not be on Arsenal's pre-season tour but Arsene Wenger wants to keep him

Arsene Wenger remains determined to keep Robin van Persie at Arsenal, but the striker will not feature on the club's pre-season tour to Asia.

Arsenal captain will not go on pre-season tour to Asia

Arsene Wenger remains determined to keep Robin van Persie at Arsenal, but the striker will not feature on the club's pre-season tour to Asia. Van Persie stunned the Gunners earlier this month when he confirmed he would not be signing an extension to his contract, which has a further year to run. The Netherlands international has been the subject of bids from Manchester City, Manchester United and Juventus, but the three clubs have yet to match Arsenal's valuation. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed his interest in the 28-year-old on Friday and there was speculation that Van Persie would refuse to go on Arsenal's trip to the Far East. Arsenal have confirmed Van Persie is staying in England to 'work on his fitness' and Wenger is refusing to give up on his fight to keep his captain at Emirates Stadium.

Desire

"For me, Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the world, if not the best, and my desire is to keep him at the club," Wenger told Arsenal Player. "As for the rest I will do what is in the best interests of Arsenal Football Club. That, at the moment, is where we are. There is not a lot more to say than that." However, after Arsenal lost the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri last summer, Wenger is wary of allowing the Van Persie situation to drag on given the wealth of interest in last season's Premier League top scorer. Wenger added: "Robin was an exceptional leader last year but we know how much we had to fight to come third because we missed out the start of the season. "After seven games we had lost four and we have learned that for us it is vital for us to focus on the start of the season rather than on any transfers. "If the transfers happen, they happen. As long as you are at the club you give your best for the club and that is the only pride you can have as a football player and as a manager. "As long as you are somewhere you give your best every day for that club. If it changes, it changes. I am convinced that Robin is like that, he is completely focused every day on his job. He loves football, he loves the game and as long as he is here he will do that."

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